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• The temporal and spatial distribution of thermal comfort of four typical block models of a cold-region city was indicated by using PET simulation. • The important microclimate factors affecting the thermal comfort of the blocks were verified through ENVI-met simulation and Pearson correlation analysis. • The improvement strategies of block thermal comfort are proposed based on the visual models. A block is an urban construction of land surrounded by roads and its internal buildings and environment. It is an essential element of modern cities and the most direct way to perceive the urban living environment. The thermal comfort of a block is a crucial indicator for building a healthy and comfortable urban life. This study examined Dalian, a cold-region city in China, to put forward research on thermal comfort improvement strategies. In this paper, four typical blocks were selected to simulate the microclimate by ENVI-met, and the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) was calculated. Through the simplified model, the thermal comfort building strategy suitable for Dalian was explored, and the effectiveness was verified. The results show that direct solar radiation and wind speed are the critical factors for the thermal comfort of the settlements residents. The building orientation, sunshine spacing coefficient, and building layout will affect the thermal environment of the block through these two factors. The outdoor thermal environment in Dalian can be improved by adjusting the orientation of buildings away from the traditional south direction, increasing the sunshine spacing coefficient, dislocating buildings, or adopting a peripheral-type building layout. This study can provide a scientific basis for building healthy and comfortable urban living environments and block development and renovation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]