This paper introduces a field measurement of an indoor thermal environment in rural housing in suburban Beijing from December 2008 to March 2009.The indoor environment parameters such as air temperature,mean radiant temperature（MRT）,airflow velocity and relative humidity are measured.A questionnaire survey of the occupants＇ thermal sensations in these surveyed houses is conducted and their daily activities and clothing conditions are recorded.The results show that the thermal neutral temperature of rural housing is 18.4 ℃,and the lower limit of acceptable temperature range can be extended to 10.9 ℃.The comfortable indoor temperature is affected by the occupants＇ clothing and lifestyle.Therefore,the indoor temperature standards of space heating for suburban housing cannot be simply duplicated from that for urban housing.Compared with occupants in suburban Beijing,it is found that the occupants in rural Hunan province feel colder at the same operative temperature due to the high relative humidity in Hunan province.
