The winter in the severe cold area of China is long and cold. The mean outdoor temperature is about-10. 0 ℃ during the winter in Harbin,while the indoor air temperature is often above24 ℃. How does the indoor environment influence human thermal comfort and adaptation in such an overheated environment?A combined approach of spot-reading measurements and occupant interview s w as adopted in nine residential buildings of five communities during the heating period in 2013-2014. Tw enty residents w ere chosen as respondents. Totally 308 valid questionnaires w ere collected. The heating periods w ere separated into three phases based on the outdoor temperature.The results show that the mean indoor air temperatures in theearly-,mid-and late-heating periods w ere 23. 6 ℃,24. 3 ℃and 25. 0 ℃,respectively,w hich w ere larger than or close to the upper limit recommended by thermal comfort standards, and slightly higher than the related thermal neutral temperatures. With the heating process,the mean clothing insulation of residents decreased. Opening w indow s and reducing clothing w ere mainly taken by the residents to adapt to the overheated environment.The thermal neutral temperature has an upw ard tendency w ith the increasing indoor air temperature. On the other hand,overheating in residential buildings w ould make residents open w indow s,w hich may cause thermal discomfort and energy w aste. Therefore,the low er limit of the comfort indoor air temperature range should be suggested as the heating temperature,w hich could fully arouse residents’ adaptation and achieve sustainable building designs. The winter in the severe cold area of ​​China is long and cold. The mean outdoor temperature is about-10. 0 ℃ during the winter in Harbin, while the indoor air temperature is often above24 ℃. How does the indoor environment influence human thermal comfort and adaptation in such an overheated environment? A combined approach of spot-reading measurements and occupant interview sw as adopted in nine residential buildings of five communities during the heating period in 2013-2014. Totally 308 valid The heating periods w ere collected into three phases based on the outdoor temperature. The results show that the mean indoor air temperatures in the last-, mid-and late-heating periods w ere 23. 6 ° C, 24.3 ℃ and 25. 0 ℃, respectively, w hich w ere larger than or close to the upper limit recommended by thermal comfort standards, and slightly higher than the related thermal neutral temperatures. With the heating proce Opening w indow s and reducing clothing w ere mainly taken by the residents to adapt to the overheated environment. the thermal neutral temperature has an upw ard tendency w ith the increasing indoor air temperature. On the other hand, overheating in residential buildings would make make open w indow s, w hich may cause thermal discomfort and energy w aste. Therefore, the low er limit of the comfort indoor air temperature range should be suggested as the heating temperature, w hich could fully arouse residents’ adaptation and achieve sustainable building designs.