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Accurate simulation and prediction of occupants’ energy use behavior are crucial in building energy consumption research. However, few studies have focused on household energy use behavior in severely cold regions that have unique energy use patterns because of the low demand of cooling in summer and the use of central heating system in winter. Thus, we developed an agent-based model to simulate the household electricity use behavior in severely cold regions, according to data for Harbin, China. The model regards apartments, residents, household appliances, and energy-management departments as agents and generates the household electricity consumption with respect to time, temperature, and energy-saving events. The simulation parameters include basic information of the residents, their energy-saving awareness, their appliance use behaviors, and the impact of energy-saving management. Electricity use patterns are described by decision-making mechanisms and probabilities obtained through a questionnaire survey. In the end, the energy-saving effects of different management strategies are evaluated. The results indicate that the model can visually present and accurately predict the dynamic energy use behavior of residents. The energy-saving potential of household electricity use in severely cold regions is mainly concentrated in lighting and standby waste, rather than cooling and heating, since the cooling demand in summer is low and the heating in winter mainly relies on central heating system of the city, not on household electricity appliances. Energy-saving promotion can significantly reduce the amount of energy waste (41.89% of lighting and 97.79% of standby energy consumption), and the best frequency of promotional events is once every four months. Residents prefer incentive policies, in which energy-saving effect is 57.7% larger than that of increasing electricity prices. This study realized the re-presentation of the changes of energy consumption in a large number of households and highlighted the particularity of household energy-saving potential in severely cold regions. The proposed model has a simple structure and high output accuracy; it can help cities in severely cold regions formulate energy-saving management policies and evaluate their effects.

The perception of outdoor microclimate environment is mainly affected by four parameters: air temperature, air humidity, air velocity and thermal radiation. It is particularly important to take microclimate perception into consideration in the commercial district with large flow of people and intensive activities. However, the effect of microclimate on human perception has not been considered in commercial street. The aim of the study is to provide technical methods and quantitative basis from space design and microclimate perception to improve microclimate of the commercial area. Harbin Central Avenue is chosen as the severe cold city case study and 7 typical spaces are selected to conduct questionnaire survey and field test. Results from the comfort interval of microclimate perception shows that the upper limit of moderate interval of wind speed is around 1.25~1.81m/s and the average solar radiation is between 210~430W/m2. However, the moderate solar radiation need to be below 300W/m2, while the moderate wind speed to be over 0.65m/s from June to August. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perception of outdoor microclimate environment is mainly affected by four parameters: air temperature, air humidity, air velocity and thermal radiation. It is particularly important to take microclimate perception into consideration in the commercial district with large flow of people and intensive activities. However, the effect of microclimate on human perception has not been considered in commercial street. The aim of the study is to provide technical methods and quantitative basis from space design and microclimate perception to improve microclimate of the commercial area. Harbin Central Avenue is chosen as the severe cold city case study and 7 typical spaces are selected to conduct questionnaire survey and field test. Results from the comfort interval of microclimate perception shows that the upper limit of moderate interval of wind speed is around 1.25~1.81m/s and the average solar radiation is between 210~430W/m 2 . However, the moderate solar radiation need to be below 300W/m 2 , while the moderate wind speed to be over 0.65m/s from June to August. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate simulation and prediction of occupants' energy use behavior are crucial in building energy consumption research. However, few studies have focused on household energy use behavior in severely cold regions that have unique energy use patterns because of the low demand of cooling in summer and the use of central heating system in winter. Thus, we developed an agent-based model to simulate the household electricity use behavior in severely cold regions, according to data for Harbin, China. The model regards apartments, residents, household appliances, and energy-management departments as agents and generates the household electricity consumption with respect to time, temperature, and energy-saving events. The simulation parameters include basic information of the residents, their energy-saving awareness, their appliance use behaviors, and the impact of energy-saving management. Electricity use patterns are described by decision-making mechanisms and probabilities obtained through a questionnaire survey. In the end, the energy-saving effects of different management strategies are evaluated. The results indicate that the model can visually present and accurately predict the dynamic energy use behavior of residents. The energy-saving potential of household electricity use in severely cold regions is mainly concentrated in lighting and standby waste, rather than cooling and heating, since the cooling demand in summer is low and the heating in winter mainly relies on central heating system of the city, not on household electricity appliances. Energy-saving promotion can significantly reduce the amount of energy waste (41.89% of lighting and 97.79% of standby energy consumption), and the best frequency of promotional events is once every four months. Residents prefer incentive policies, in which energy-saving effect is 57.7% larger than that of increasing electricity prices. This study realized the re-presentation of the changes of energy consumption in a large number of households and highlighted the particularity of household energy-saving potential in severely cold regions. The proposed model has a simple structure and high output accuracy; it can help cities in severely cold regions formulate energy-saving management policies and evaluate their effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the outdoor thermal sensation characteristics in severe cold cities, and the effects of four microclimate parameters on outdoor thermal sensation. A one-year investigation of public spaces in Harbin, China, as an example of a severe cold city, was carried out. Volunteers were randomly invited to fill out a microclimate perception questionnaire, and the real-time microclimate data were measured and recorded at the same time on site. The relationship between the outdoor actual thermal sensation and the perception of microclimate parameters was analyzed quantitatively. The results showed that the effect of microclimate parameters on the actual thermal sensation was very significant. The actual thermal sensation varies greatly from the seasons. People feel the most comfortable in the transition season. Among the four parameters, temperature has the greatest effect on ATSV in cold season and severe cold season, solar radiation has the greatest effect on ATSV in transition season and hot season. In the severe cold season and hot season, the wind speed also has a significant effect on ATSV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]