In this study, climate-responsive solutions used in traditional dwellings in the North Dong region of China were identified, and the impact of these solutions on the indoor physical environment and energy consumption was analysed. First, over the course of a year, sample dwellings and short-term on-site indoor physical environment measurements were selected from the local climate. Then, three building materials, namely, brick, wood, and rammed earth, and different structural forms were selected to simulate the indoor thermal environment, ventilation conditions, and energy consumption of traditional dwellings. The study also summarised the advantages and disadvantages of the physical environment of traditional dwellings in response to climate characteristics. The results showed that the fluctuation in indoor temperature and humidity of typical dwellings in the North Dong region is approximately 5 °C, which is 14% lower than that outdoors. Traditional Dong dwellings have good indoor conditioning abilities. Traditional wood structure dwellings can save 26% and 39% of energy per year compared with those of raw earth and brick wood, respectively. Traditional dwellings in the Dong region are well adapted to the local climate in terms of form, materials, and structure and contribute to climate-responsive buildings in the harsh climatic conditions of the region. The solutions used in these dwellings can also be used to design new climate-responsive buildings; however, the indoor thermal comfort is not entirely satisfactory. We proposed an effective adaptation strategy for Dong traditional dwellings.

The Dong wind and rain bridges in western Hunan are among the most extraordinary historical buildings that express the unique culture of the Dong people, and are an unparalleled display of history, culture, aesthetics and architectural skills, but they are exposed to various disasters. However, fire poses a serious challenge to historical wind and rain bridges. This study investigated the fire risk of wind and rain bridges in terms of building materials, structural forms, fire habits, and fire loads. Fire dynamics simulator software and SketchUp modeling software were used to visualize and numerically simulate fire conditions. The survey results indicated that the fire load of the Huilong bridge was 1,794,561 MJ. After a fire, the central pavilion underwent a flashover at 200 s. By 600 s, the maximum temperature of the bridge was 1200 °C, and the entire bridge was in flashover condition. Furthermore, targeted fire-mitigation strategies were proposed according to the architectural characteristics and cultural environment of the wind and rain bridges in terms of the following four components: automatic fire-extinguishing equipment, fireproof coatings, suspended ceiling, and skylights. The effectiveness of the fire-resistance performance of the strategies was also evaluated. The fireproof coating measures were the most effective, and the bridge sections delayed reaching the flashover state by 40–80 s. The reported results can help reduce the fire-related risks of wind and rain bridges and protect our historical heritage more effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, this study can serve as a reference for other historic wooden structures to develop appropriate mitigation strategies.

This study uses behavioral observation, interviews, and questionnaire research to investigate the residential environment. It also evaluates the elderly in four representative ancient towns of Xiangxi, namely, Liye Ancient Town, Furong Ancient Town, Liexi Ancient Town, and Xichehe Ancient Town. It includes indoor air (CO₂, PM_2.5, PM₁₀) and light intensity monitoring for the residential environment. The results showed that the elderly had a significant sense of frustration and loneliness. Of the elderyly, 70% believed the current living environment had an impact on healthy living, and 45% believed the safety and convenience of the living environment should be improved. More than 80% of the elderly were dissatisfied with their indoor acoustic environment, and more than 70% were dissatisfied with their home transportation. More than 85% of the elderly considered traditional wooden components and spaces to be the source of cultural identity. Furthermore, the average indoor PM_2.5 concentration during the fire pit fire was 350–600 µg/m³, about 4.7–8 times the Chinese standard value. The average concentration of PM₁₀ in all rooms was more than 400 µg/m³, approximately three times the Chinese standard value. Also, targeted environmental improvement strategies were proposed. The study results provided actual information to develop a systematic approach and a targeted design based on the needs to improve the residential environment of the elderly in ancient cities.

Scientific territorial spatial planning is of great significance in the realization of the sustainable development goals in China, especially in the context of China’s ecological civilization construction and territorial spatial planning. However, limited research has been carried out to understand the spatio-temporal change in EEQ and territorial spatial planning. In this study, Changsha County and six districts of Changsha City were selected as the research objects. Based on the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) model, the spatio-temporal changes in the EEQ and spatial planning response in the study area during 2003–2018 were analyzed. The results reveal that (1) the EEQ of Changsha declined and then rose between 2003 and 2018, showing an overall decreasing trend. The average RSEI declined from 0.532 in 2003 to 0.500 in 2014 and then increased to 0.523 in 2018, with an overall decrease of 1.7%. (2) In terms of spatial pattern changes, the Xingma Group, the Airport Group and the Huangli Group in the east of the Xiangjiang River had the most serious EEQ degradation. The EEQ degradation of Changsha showed an expanding and polycentric decentralized grouping pattern. (3) Massive construction land expansion during rapid urbanization caused significant EEQ degradation in Changsha. Particularly, the areas with low EEQ were concentrated in the areas with concentrated industrial land. Scientific territorial spatial planning and strict control were conducive to regional EEQ improvement. (4) The prediction using the urban ecological model demonstrates that every 0.549 unit increase in NDVI or 0.2 unit decrease in NDBSI can improve the RSEI of the study area by 0.1 unit, thus improving EEQ. In the future territorial spatial planning and construction of Changsha, it is necessary to promote the transformation and upgrading of low-end industries into high-end manufacturing industries and control the scale of inefficient industrial land. The EEQ degradation caused by industrial land expansion needs to be noted. All of these findings can provide valuable information for relevant decision-makers to formulate ecological environment protection strategies and conduct future territorial spatial planning.

Air pollution is a major health hazard. The traditional habits and unique ethnic fire culture in Hunan Tujia region result in the long-term exposure of residents, especially elderly people, to pollutants. In this study, we conducted field monitoring and assessment of indoor pollutants in the residential houses of Hunan Tujia families and subsequently visualised and simulated fire pollutants in representative residential houses by using fire-dynamic-simulator software. Pollutant-control strategies, using passive smoke collectors and resizing windows, were proposed and simulated for validation. The results revealed that passive smoke collectors reduced the pollutant concentration in the hall house by 43.96%. Furthermore, the optimal window size was 1500 mm × 1500 mm, and the most reasonable windowsill height of the firepit was 1800 mm. The results of the study can be used to improve the indoor air quality of Tujia dwellings and mitigate the adverse health effects of exposure to indoor air pollution without restricting ethnic beliefs and traditional customs.

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the reasons for the survival of ancient villages in western Hunan in the face of a long-term high risk of fire, which has led to their heritage status. The study selected a representative ancient village in the western Hunan region, High chair village, as a case study to explain the siting and village layout. The fire risk of High chair village was investigated in terms of dwelling materials, structural forms, fire-related activities, and street dimensions. Monitoring instruments and fire dynamics simulator (FDS) were used to reveal the “survival design strategy” of village sites, layouts, and street patterns. The results revealed that the village layout of High chair Village, sheltered from the wind and gathering Qi, was conducive to the formation of a stable wind environment to reduce the risk of fire spread. Furthermore, the windspeed was weakened by the crooked streets and alleys and, in case of fire, this street environment was also conducive to slowing down the spread of fire. It is important to collect traditional knowledge of fire mitigation developed through a long history of disasters, so that mitigation methods can be applied in the development and conservation of modern traditional villages and further passed on to future generations.