Article
Construction & Building Technology
Xiaxia Li, Bo Zhou, Liming Shen, Zhihui Wu
Summary: A study found that selecting suitable mattress materials can increase the interface temperature between the human body and mattress, thereby improving sleep quality. In colder climates, people tend to prefer a warm thermal sensation. More attention should be paid to thermal insulation of body extremities.
INDOOR AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mohammad Hadi Ahmad, Ahmed Abubakar, Mohd Yusoff Ishak, Samir Shehu Danhassan, Zhang Jiahua, Juha M. Alatalo
Summary: Climate change has significant impacts on vegetation and livelihoods, particularly in dryland areas. This study uses remote sensing and GIS analysis to simulate the effects of temperature and precipitation on vegetation dynamics in Katsina State, Nigeria. The results demonstrate increasing temperatures, decreasing precipitation, and a more adverse trend under the RCP8.5 scenario.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Dimitra Founda, George Katavoutas, Fragiskos Pierros, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos
Summary: The Mediterranean is identified as a climate change hot spot, experiencing faster warming rates than the global average. During the summer of 2021, the region faced prolonged and severe heat waves, leading to widespread wildfires. Greece was particularly affected, with the country experiencing one of the most intense heat waves in its modern history. The study highlights the rarity and unique characteristics of this heat wave by analyzing historical climate records and comparing it with previous events. It found that the heat wave in 2021 had the longest duration and highest nighttime temperatures, as well as the highest cumulative heat. The study also emphasizes the increased exposure of urban populations to heat stress due to the urban heat island effect.
Article
Entomology
Michela Ion Scotta, Lucas Margris, Nadine Sellier, Sylvie Warot, Flavio Gatti, Fabio Siccardi, Patricia Gibert, Elodie Vercken, Nicolas Ris
Summary: This study investigated the intraspecific variability and genetic correlations between thermal tolerance indices in the minute wasp, Trichogramma cacoeciae. Results showed a geographic differentiation between strains for one of the thermal tolerance indices and a positive correlation between two of them. The study also revealed a significant effect of both longitude and severity of cold during winter months on CCT, with opposite patterns observed in strains from different bioclimatic zones.
Article
Biophysics
Katerina Pantavou, Vassiliki Kotroni, Konstantinos Lagouvardos
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of commonly used thermal indices in quantifying the thermal environment in a Mediterranean climate. The results showed that NET and UTCI are suitable indices for real-time applications in this climate.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Carla Mateus, Aaron Potito
Summary: This research provides an assessment of long-term air temperature trends and extreme temperature indices in Ireland. The findings show significant increases in air temperatures over the past century, particularly in spring and autumn. Conversely, there were notable decreases in cold temperature indices over the same period.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE EXTREMES
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Cong Song, Guannan Duan, Dengjia Wang, Yanfeng Liu, Hu Du, Guixia Chen
Summary: The study focuses on the impact of air velocity on thermal comfort in the non-uniform thermal environment, indicating that increasing air velocity can improve thermal comfort and reduce discomfort caused by the difference between radiant temperature and air temperature.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
John A. Manalo, Jun Matsumoto, Hiroshi G. Takahashi, Marcelino Q. Villafuerte, Lyndon Mark P. Olaguera, Guoyu Ren, Thelma A. Cinco
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of urbanization on surface air temperature trends in the Philippines from 1951 to 2018. Results indicate significant differences in SAT trends between urban and rural stations, with urbanization showing a greater effect on T-min-related indices.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Saud Ghani, Ahmed Osama Mahgoub, Foteini Bakochristou, Esmail A. ElBialy
Summary: This study compared the suitability of seven different thermal comfort indices for assessing outdoor thermal comfort in hot and arid environments, with the WBGT index deemed the most suitable.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Endre Putyora, Sarah Brocklehurst, Victoria Sandilands
Summary: Ensuring the welfare of commercially kept animals is a legal and ethical responsibility. This study observed the effects of 24-hour stressors on laying hen sleep behavior and investigated the potential use of sleep behavior as a means of welfare assessment in commercial poultry.
Article
Agronomy
Juha Aalto, Vilna Tyystjarvi, Pekka Niittynen, Julia Kemppinen, Tuuli Rissanen, Hilppa Gregow, Miska Luoto
Summary: Microclimate temperature variability plays a crucial role in terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem functions. A study in northern Europe found significant differences in microclimate temperatures across various seasons and locations in boreal forests and tundra. The temperature variations in boreal forests were closely linked to water bodies, wetlands, and canopy cover, while in tundra, they were associated with elevation, topographic solar radiation, and snow cover.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Pradip Patra, Lakshminarayan Satpati
Summary: This paper analyzes the characteristics and trends of temperatures in Kolkata, India using temperature extremes and relevant indices. The study finds that there is a significant positive increasing trend in extreme temperature indices, with higher rates at the Dum Dum observatory. The results also show a positive temperature change in the long term, particularly in the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The distribution of relative temperature indices indicates an asymmetric distribution between warm nights and cold days, with a higher increase in warm nights at the Dum Dum station.
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Heng Du, Zhiwei Lian, Dayi Lai, Lin Duanmu, Yongchao Zhai, Bin Cao, Yufeng Zhang, Xiang Zhou, Zhaojun Wang, Xiaojing Zhang, Zhijian Hou
Summary: This study compares indoor thermal environment and thermal comfort between radiant and convective systems in continuous operating mode. The analysis includes hypothesis tests on thermal environment parameters and human subjective responses. The results show evidence of overheating in radiant systems during heating season, but no practical difference in air temperature between the two systems during cooling season. The study also analyzes and compares different indexes, finding little practical difference in thermal comfort vote between the two systems at the same PMV interval. The findings provide insights for thermal environment design and thermal comfort evaluation under different HVAC systems.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Clayton Alcarde Alvares, Paulo Cesar Sentelhas, Henrique Boriolo Dias
Summary: This study used the Koppen climate classification to detect climate change in Piracicaba, southeastern Brazil, based on a historical series of 100 years. The results showed an increase in average annual air temperature and a change in climate type from subtropical to tropical. The study also found a correlation between local temperature and long-term air temperature anomalies at regional and global scales, indicating a possible link with increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Avraham I. Kudish, Efim G. Evseev
Summary: The study analyzed a database of ambient temperatures monitored in Beer Sheva, Israel, between August 1988 and November 2019. It found positive trends of temperature increase from February to September, with only February, March, and July through September showing positive trends in daytime temperatures.
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lida Dimitriadou, Panagiotis Nastos, Kostas Eleftheratos, John Kapsomenakis, Christos Zerefos
Summary: This paper examines the relationship between temperature and three causes of mortality (cardiological, respiratory, and cardiorespiratory) in Scotland, Spain, and Greece, and compares the differences among cities to gain a deeper understanding. The study finds that cities with higher latitude have lower temperature thresholds compared to cities with lower latitude. Understanding the relationship between mortality and temperature is critical for future climate change implications, which show an overall increase in ambient temperature.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Gudrun Laschewski, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: Climate-related changes in human sun exposure behavior can have significant impacts on future UV radiation-related disease risks. The effects vary depending on climate, with a reduction in clothing being the primary factor for increased UV exposure in temperate and cold climates. The relationship between outdoor time and thermal conditions shows a nonlinear, bell-shaped pattern. Individual characteristics such as heat affinity, leisure type, age, and gender also play a role in behavior changes. Considering cultural and habitual factors, as well as geographical context, is necessary for understanding and balancing the opposing effects.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ferdinand Briegel, Osama Makansi, Thomas Brox, Andreas Matzarakis, Andreas Christen
Summary: A convolutional encoder-decoder network (U-Net) is used to predict pedestrian level mean radiation temperature (Tmrt) at a building-resolved scale. The model is validated against point measurements and SOLWEIG, achieving a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 2.4 K. U-Net is 22 times faster than SOLWEIG and can effectively model Tmrt for urban areas.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Luz Alicia Cardenas-Jiron, Kathrin Graw, Marcel Gangwisch, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: Global warming poses a challenge to cities to adapt to future thermal conditions. This research quantifies the effects of urban street configuration on human thermal comfort and suggests urban guidelines for city growth and protection in the era of climate change. Using meteorological data, simulations were conducted to analyze the impact of aspect ratio and orientation on thermal conditions in urban canyons. The results show that different street configurations have varying effects on human thermal comfort, with lower aspect ratios leading to greater heat stress.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Markus Sulzer, Andreas Christen, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: We propose a method to generate location-specific forecasts of indoor temperature and thermal comfort using an artificial neural network trained on-site with local indoor measurements. The forecasts combine standard outdoor weather forecasting products with low-cost sensor system data. The best-performing model had an average mean absolute forecast error of 0.87 K for temperature and 0.99 K for physiological equivalent temperature over the next 24 hours, with high Pearson correlation coefficients. Overall, 91% of temperature forecasts and 88% of physiological equivalent temperature forecasts were skillful. This approach could be widely implemented to improve and localize heat and health warning systems.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Olga Shevchenko, Sergiy Snizhko, Oleg Gryniuk, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the human-biometeorological conditions at two resorts in Ukraine. The results show that better conditions in terms of thermal comfort can be found during the warm period from May to September at both sites. However, the frequency of heat stress is higher at Odesa compared to Svityaz, making Odesa less comfortable for people vulnerable to heat stress.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Paraskevi Nomikou, Dimitrios Panousis, Elisavet Nikoli, Varvara Antoniou, Dimitrios Emmanouloudis, Georgios Pehlivanides, Marios Agiomavritis, Panagiotis Nastos, Emma Cieslak-Jones, Aris Batis
Summary: Nisyros Geopark in Greece is a candidate for the UNESCO Global Geoparks designation. It has outstanding geological, natural, and cultural characteristics related to its volcanic origin. The geopark covers an area of 481 km(2) and includes an active volcano, 24 geosites, walking trails, Natura 2000 areas, archaeological sites, and cultural sites. Efforts have been made to promote its geodiversity through the development of a website, mobile application, informative leaflet, guidebook, and signage.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gudrun Laschewski, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: This study examined the long-term occurrence of low-ozone events (LOEs) in Germany from 1983 to 2019 and found that the 1990s had the highest frequency of LOEs. However, there has been a significant decrease in the number of LOEs in the recent period (1998-2019). Although LOEs pose health risks, there is currently no evidence of an increasing health risk in Germany.
Article
Biophysics
Arkadiusz M. Tomczyk, Olga Shevchenko, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: The aim of this research is to analyze the biometeorological conditions during cold spells in south-east Poland and west Ukraine from 1966 to 2021, using the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) thermal index. The research reveals a high variability in the occurrence of cold spells during the study period, with an increase in frequency and total duration in the east of the study area.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ayobami Badiru Moreira, Cristiana Coutinho Duarte, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: The objective of this article is to discuss urban heat studies in the city of Recife, Brazil and provide theoretical and methodological perspectives. The city is characterized by a complex urban landscape and is recognized as one of the most vulnerable cities to climate change. Analyzing urban heat in Recife can provide a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between physical, social, and environmental elements, as well as identify shortcomings and trends in current initiatives. The main challenges for future studies include applicability in urban planning, data acquisition, and understanding the social and physical dimensions of urban climate.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Merve Munevver Ahan, Andre Santos Nouri, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: This study explores the relationship between sleep quality and the thermal environment, particularly in vulnerable uninsulated buildings in Ankara. The findings show that occupants in uninsulated buildings are more susceptible to physiological and psychological heat stress during extreme heat events.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Savas Caglak, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: The study examines the relationship between thermal comfort conditions and respiratory diseases in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. The results reveal a very high negative correlation between thermal comfort conditions and air temperature and respiratory diseases. An increase of 1 degree Celsius in thermal comfort conditions and air temperature is predicted to reduce hospital admissions for respiratory diseases by approximately 64 to 67 patients and 89 to 94 patients, respectively.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH-HEIDELBERG
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Anna Karali, Konstantinos V. Varotsos, Christos Giannakopoulos, Panagiotis P. Nastos, Maria Hatzaki
Summary: Forest fires in the Mediterranean region are a significant environmental and socioeconomic hazard. Weather and climate play a crucial role in influencing forest fire potential. This study aims to provide high-resolution seasonal fire danger forecasts using the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) for the fire-prone Attica region in Greece. The results suggest that the FWI and ISI (Initial Spread Index) forecasts can effectively predict above-normal fire danger conditions, and they can be utilized by regional authorities for fire prevention management.
NATURAL HAZARDS AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geography
Olga Shevchenko, Sergiy Snizhko, Sergii Zapototskyi, Hanna Svintsitska, Mariia Matviienko, Andreas Matzarakis
Summary: The aim of this study is to assess the thermal comfort conditions during heat waves in Ukraine from 1961 to 2015. The study is based on the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature as a thermal index. Data from 29 meteorological stations across Ukraine were used. The research showed an increasing frequency of heat waves in Ukraine in recent decades, with the eastern and southern regions experiencing the most severe human-biometeorological conditions. The 2010 heat wave was found to be the longest and most severe since 1961.
GEOGRAPHIA POLONICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Georgios C. Spyropoulos, Panagiotis T. Nastos, Konstantinos P. Moustris, Konstantinos J. Chalvatzis
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive review and analysis of the evolution of the Greek vehicle fleet over the past 30 years. It predicts a reduction in emissions by 2030 and reveals that Greece is making positive progress in reducing air pollution from the transportation sector, but further improvements are still needed.
