Winter thermal comfort in Zhuang ethnic stilt-style dwellings: A case study of the Longsheng region with field measurement validation

In the context of traditional dwelling preservation and sustainable development, there is increasing attention on the winter indoor thermal environment and thermal comfort of Chinese traditional dwellings. However, research on the winter performance of stilted dwellings in southern China remains insufficient. Therefore, this study focuses on the stilted dwellings of the Zhuang ethnic group in Longsheng, Guangxi, aiming to quantify and assess their winter indoor thermal environment and residents' thermal adaptation characteristics through a combination of meteorological measurements and questionnaires. The main findings include:(1)The external walls of the dwellings exhibit a high thermal conductivity coefficient of 2.69 W/(m2·K) and a low thermal inertia index (D = 0.83); (2)Except for the fireplace area, the average indoor relative humidity is above 90 %, with Bedroom 2 reaching 99 %; (3)The buffer spaces demonstrate varying climate-regulation effects, with the overhead layer showing a relatively significant thermal-insulation effect, while the gatehouse's regulating ability is more limited; (4)The residents' neutral temperature (NPET) is 15.4 °C, and the neutral temperature range (NPETR) is 7.5 °C–23.4 °C, indicating strong thermal adaptation; (5)The fireplace, as the center of daily life, is the most effective means of local heating for improving indoor thermal comfort. This study provides scientific evidence for the preservation and optimization of the climate-adaptability of Zhuang stilted dwellings.