Heating　in　wind-chilled　environments　is　a　serious　task.　The　catalytic　combustion　heater　(CCH)　provides　more　efficient　and　cleaner　in　combustion　compared　to　conventional　heaters　with　high　pollutant　emission　and　low　energy　utilization.　In　this　paper,　the　heating　ability　of　CCH　on　human　body　in　a　wind-chilled　environment　(apparent　temperatures　between　−14.8　°C　and　12.4　°C)　was　investigated　by　collecting　skin　temperature　and　subjective　thermal　evaluation　data　from　23　subjects.　The　impact　of　cold　air　on　localized　heating　of　body　parts　by　CCH　was　clarified　using　decision　trees　and　dimensionless　correlation　coefficients.　A　human-computer　interaction　regulation　strategy　was　proposed　to　simultaneously　satisfy　the　requirements　of　effective　heating,　low　energy　consumption,　and　low　pollution.　Finally,　CCH　and　a　commercial　heater　were　compared　in　terms　of　heating　effectiveness　and　energy　consumption　in　a　real　outdoor　environment.　The　results　showed　that　CCH　effectively　solved　the　problem　of　excessive　cold　extremities,　and　the　temperature　difference　between　thoracoabdominal　area　and　extremities　was　reduced　by　57.5–87.9%　to　within　2　°C.　In　a　strong　convective　environment,　wind　speed　was　the　decisive　factor　(coefficient　of　0.95),　inducing　46%　radiant　heat　loss.　Inputting　personnel　subjective　perception,　dynamic　environmental　parameters,　and　pollutant　thresholds　to　adjust　the　injected　gas　flow　enabled　intelligent　control.　In　a　real　cold　scenario,　the　CCH　saved　65.9%　of　energy　compared　to　a　commercial　heater　when　achieving　the　same　heating　effect.　This　study　provides　a　reference　for　the　application　of　catalytic　combustion　technology　in　cold　outdoor　heating　and　also　provides　an　important　theoretical　basis　for　the　construction　of　heating　strategies　for　CCH.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd