Approaching environmental human thermophysiological thresholds for the case of Ankara, Turkey

A Santos Nouri,O Çalışkan,Y Afacan,A Matzarakis,Tzu-Ping Lin

doi:10.1007/s00704-020-03436-5

Abstract

The disclosed study undertook a ‘human centred-approach’ that ascertained and categorised environmental human thermophysiological risk factors by relating them to the human biometeorological system through the use of three widely utilised energy balance model (EBM) indices, the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), the modified PET, and the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). The disclosed assessment was carried out over the past decade (i.e., 2010–2019) with a 3-h temporal resolution for the case of Ankara through two WMO meteorological stations to compare both local urban and peri-urban environmental conditions. The study recognised extreme annual variability of human physiological stress (PS) during the different seasons as a result of the biometeorological processing of the singular variables, which in the case of average PET for both stations, varied by up to 75 °C between the winter and summer for the same annual dataset (2012). In addition, all EBMs indicated higher heat stress within the city centre that were conducive of both urban extreme heatwaves and very hot days during the summer months, with extreme heat stress levels lasting for longer than a week with PET values reaching a maximum of 48 °C. Similar cold extremes were found for the winter months, with PET values reaching − 30 °C, and average PS levels varying lower in the case of the peri-urban station.Graphical abstract

Highlights

When considering the existing literature of thermal comfort studies far, there has been a promising expansion of studies which aim to approach, examine, and improve thermophysiological conditions within urban environments
Approaches towards human thermophysiological conditions and their associated biometeorological risk factors are continuing to mature in the scope of urban environmental studies
Concomitant to such a continual scientific development is the consolidating ‘human-centred approach’ that is focused upon understanding the direct effects of microclimatic stimulus upon the human body, and how these dynamics can be locally identified

Summary

Introduction

When considering the existing literature of thermal comfort studies far, there has been a promising expansion of studies which aim to approach, examine, and improve thermophysiological conditions within urban environments. And even in very novel global issues, such interdisciplinary application in environmental scopes continues to be espoused, including to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as exemplified by the recent review study undertaken by Cheval et al (2020) Such a ‘human-centred approach’ relays to the aim in identifying and adjusting local microclimatic factors in order to ensure thermal responsive urban environments (Hebbert and Mackillop 2011; Reiter and Herde 2003; Wilbanks and Kates 1999). And while both global circulation models (GCMs) and regional climate models (RCMs) shall continue to play an indispensible scientific role in understanding more encompassing climatic dynamics, an major consideration must be made to the relationship of such direct dynamics upon the human biometeorological system. As recognised early on, ensuring the management of the ongoing highfrequency microscale climatic stimuli within the anthropogenic environment is just as crucial (Hebbert and Webb 2007; Höppe 1984; Höppe 1999; Oke 1988; Olgyay 1963)

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Discussion

Conclusion