Specific　occupations　and　activities　often　require　the　ability　to　provide　heating　in　cold　open　environments.　This　leads　to　a　conflict　between　personnel　comfort　and　portable　energy　usage.　However,　studies　have　not　fully　explored　the　characteristics　of　asymmetric　intermittent　radiation　heating　in　cold　open　environments.　Therefore,　a　self-developed　catalytic　combustion　radiant　heater　is　used　as　an　intermittent　heat　source　for　exploring　its　optimal　intermittent　heating　strategy.　The　evaluation　indicators,　derived　from　measurements　of　the　20　participants　in　the　experiment,　include　overall　thermal　evaluations,　energy　consumption,　and　corrective　power　(CP).　In　the　study,　the　transient　characterization　the　traditional　CP　(CPtrad)　yielded　results　ranging　from　−0.76　to　1.76　K,　with　some　negative　values.　Consequently,　the　concept　of　continuity　and　holistic　perspective　is　broadened　to　accommodate　intermittent　heating.　The　newly　expanded　indicator,　named　CPinterm,　varied　from　0.29　to　2.52　K.　Subsequently,　a　functional　model　linking　CPtrad　to　CPinterm　was　obtained　by　polynomial　fitting　(R2　=　0.77)　to　simplify　the　experimental　complexity.　The　model　was　also　validated　by　data　from　previous　studies　on　conduction　and　convection　PCS.　Following　a　comprehensive　analysis,　the　optimal　heating　strategy　for　the　heater　was　found　to　be　a　40　cm　heating　distance,　5　min　heating　time,　and　5　min　intermittent　time.　This　strategy　reduced　energy　consumption　by　50%　and　increased　fuel　usage　hours　by　2　times　compared　to　continuous　heating.　This　study＇s　established　indicator　offers　a　viable　evaluation　method　for　personal　comfort　systems　implementing　intermittent　operation　strategies.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd