The impact of human-biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public places

For the understanding of the impact of meteorological stressors on human perceptions of thermal comfort, it is essential to examine in detail the joint variability of atmospheric conditions and human perception. We designed an interdisciplinary experimental setup to generate data of both human-biome...

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Main Authors: Isabell Maras, Teresa Schmidt, Bastian Paas, Martina Ziefle, Christoph Schneider
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Borntraeger 2016-09-01
Series:Meteorologische Zeitschrift
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/metz/2016/0705
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author Isabell Maras
Teresa Schmidt
Bastian Paas
Martina Ziefle
Christoph Schneider
author_facet Isabell Maras
Teresa Schmidt
Bastian Paas
Martina Ziefle
Christoph Schneider
author_sort Isabell Maras
collection DOAJ
description For the understanding of the impact of meteorological stressors on human perceptions of thermal comfort, it is essential to examine in detail the joint variability of atmospheric conditions and human perception. We designed an interdisciplinary experimental setup to generate data of both human-biometeorological and individual human perception at two different urban public places in the city of Aachen, Germany. Meteorological measurements at the human-biometeorological standard height of 1.1 m a.g.l. were taken during typical winter weather situations as well as extreme summer weather situations to analyze potentially seasonal effects. Pedestrians and tourists at the study site were selected as participants for face-to-face questionnaire-based interviews. We took measurements and held interviews between 10:00 h and 17:00 h (CEST/CET) to record the daytime agreement/deviations at different inner urban measurement locations. Based on an overall physical approach of thermal load, UTCI (Universal Thermal Climate Index) values are calculated. A maximum of +34.1 °C for summertime and a minimum of +2.6 °C for wintertime could be found. The meteorological parameters of air temperature (Ta$T_{a}$), mean radiant temperature (Tmrt$T_{\text{mrt}}$) and vapor pressure (VP) are compared with data perceived by the persons interviewed. In winter, Ta$T_{a }$ shows a significant relation to the overall weather perception (r=0.28$r = 0.28$; p<0.05$p<0.05$) while the overall comfort of the participants is significantly related to perceived solar heat (r=0.27$r = 0.27$; p<0.5$p<0.5$) as well as to perceived Ta$T_{a}$ (r=0.4$r = 0.4$; p<0.002$p<0.002$). Quite different resulting patterns occurred for the summer campaign. None of the physical variables significantly affected the weather perception. Only the perceived Ta$T_{a}$ revealed a significant relation to the overall weather perception (r=0.27$r=0.27$; p<0.002$p<0.002$).
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spelling doaj.art-a3b8aacad9c348009d1013216a9357322022-12-21T19:14:10ZengBorntraegerMeteorologische Zeitschrift0941-29482016-09-0125440742010.1127/metz/2016/070586501The impact of human-biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public placesIsabell MarasTeresa SchmidtBastian PaasMartina ZiefleChristoph SchneiderFor the understanding of the impact of meteorological stressors on human perceptions of thermal comfort, it is essential to examine in detail the joint variability of atmospheric conditions and human perception. We designed an interdisciplinary experimental setup to generate data of both human-biometeorological and individual human perception at two different urban public places in the city of Aachen, Germany. Meteorological measurements at the human-biometeorological standard height of 1.1 m a.g.l. were taken during typical winter weather situations as well as extreme summer weather situations to analyze potentially seasonal effects. Pedestrians and tourists at the study site were selected as participants for face-to-face questionnaire-based interviews. We took measurements and held interviews between 10:00 h and 17:00 h (CEST/CET) to record the daytime agreement/deviations at different inner urban measurement locations. Based on an overall physical approach of thermal load, UTCI (Universal Thermal Climate Index) values are calculated. A maximum of +34.1 °C for summertime and a minimum of +2.6 °C for wintertime could be found. The meteorological parameters of air temperature (Ta$T_{a}$), mean radiant temperature (Tmrt$T_{\text{mrt}}$) and vapor pressure (VP) are compared with data perceived by the persons interviewed. In winter, Ta$T_{a }$ shows a significant relation to the overall weather perception (r=0.28$r = 0.28$; p<0.05$p<0.05$) while the overall comfort of the participants is significantly related to perceived solar heat (r=0.27$r = 0.27$; p<0.5$p<0.5$) as well as to perceived Ta$T_{a}$ (r=0.4$r = 0.4$; p<0.002$p<0.002$). Quite different resulting patterns occurred for the summer campaign. None of the physical variables significantly affected the weather perception. Only the perceived Ta$T_{a}$ revealed a significant relation to the overall weather perception (r=0.27$r=0.27$; p<0.002$p<0.002$).http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/metz/2016/0705thermal stressurban public spacesurban climatefield studypsychophysics measurementsthermal comfort
spellingShingle Isabell Maras
Teresa Schmidt
Bastian Paas
Martina Ziefle
Christoph Schneider
The impact of human-biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public places
Meteorologische Zeitschrift
thermal stress
urban public spaces
urban climate
field study
psychophysics measurements
thermal comfort
title The impact of human-biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public places
title_full The impact of human-biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public places
title_fullStr The impact of human-biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public places
title_full_unstemmed The impact of human-biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public places
title_short The impact of human-biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public places
title_sort impact of human biometeorological factors on perceived thermal comfort in urban public places
topic thermal stress
urban public spaces
urban climate
field study
psychophysics measurements
thermal comfort
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/metz/2016/0705
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