There has been increasing recognition for the need to reform doctoral training practices to foster students' personal epistemology. This study describes the design and evaluation of a learning ...experience designed to help students understand the scholarly publication process. Firstly, this study discusses the design of the learning experience, describing the collaborative process of writing an interdisciplinary publication using both online and face-to-face learning. Secondly, this study evaluates the effectiveness of the learning experience by examining students' reflections. We show that participation in the learning experience helped students to develop their academic writing proficiency, collaboration and teamwork, intercultural competence, and ability to engage in reflective practice. Importantly, we show that each student also created more individualised knowledge, gaining insight into how they and others think. This study, therefore, demonstrates that personal epistemology can be fostered through collaboration in a doctoral writing group context.
Shading effectively alleviates heat stress caused by heatwaves and urban heat islands. Artificial shading is a viable alternative to urban greenery when tree planting is impracticable. While tree ...shade has been studied extensively, the effects of shading devices on the microclimate and illuminance are not well understood. To examine the influence of shading devices on outdoor thermal and visual comfort, we conducted on-site meteorological observations and surveys (n = 1272) on a university campus in Guangzhou during the summer of 2018. In ENVI-met simulations, various shading device properties were compared, including materials, transparency, and size. Simulation results indicate that shading devices reduced mean radiant temperature, Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET), and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) up to 24.8 °C, 12.0 °C and 5.9 °C, respectively. However, there was a negligible reduction in air temperature and wind speed. Opaque materials and glass covers with 10% transparency decreased illuminance by 73%–83% and 65%–75%, respectively. Moreover, the size threshold for optimal cooling effects differs in locations with different sky view factors and tree shade. Our survey reveals that reducing the illuminance by > 90,000 lux and sun sensation vote from +2.5 to +1 can lower the thermal sensation vote by up to one vote. As shading devices decrease illuminance and thermal indices, the cross-modal effect between visual and thermal comfort would need to be considered in optimizing the design of shading devices. Further observation and numerical simulation of outdoor microclimate and illuminance are necessary to validate this cross-modal effect in other climatic regions.
•Shading devices reduced Tmrt, PET and UTCI, but have limited reduction in Ta and Va.•Opaque materials and 10% glass transparency improve thermal and visual comfort.•Increasing shading device size reduces PET and UTCI, but not illuminance.•Shading devices should be targeted at exposed sites, not areas with tree shade.•Shading devices can consider cross-modal effect between visual and thermal comfort.
Temperature and population growth are key drivers of energy consumption. However, the relative importance of climatic and socioeconomic factors driving energy consumption at different temporal scales ...is not well-understood. Therefore, we developed a time-series decomposition method to attribute the relative importance of climatic (heat index and monsoon index) and socioeconomic variables to domestic energy consumption in Hong Kong from 1981–2015. The same method was used for Singapore from 2005–2015 to test the transferability of our time-series method. Population growth and GDP were the primary drivers for domestic energy consumption in Hong Kong from 1981–2015, but the heat index became the primary driver from 2005–2015 instead. The monsoon and heat indexes were the primary drivers of domestic energy consumption in Singapore from 2005–2015. Climate change will increase air temperatures by 2–5 °C for Hong Kong and Singapore by 2100. For RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, Singapore shows a linear relationship between temperature and domestic energy consumption, whereas the relationship is non-linear in Hong Kong. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the impact of climatic change on monsoon mechanism and heat index, which can predict future cooling demand and help achieve sustainable development goals.
•Population and GDP were primary drivers for energy use in Hong Kong from 1981–2015.•The dominant factor for energy use in Hong Kong for 2005–2015 was the heat index.•Monsoon index and heat index were key drivers for Singapore energy use (2005–2015).•A non-linear increase in future energy demand found in Hong Kong, but not Singapore.
Urban trees ameliorate heat stress for urban dwellers. However, it is difficult to quantitatively assess the integrated impacts of tree planting and street layouts on visual and thermal comfort in ...simulations and urban field experiments. We conducted scaled outdoor experiments in Guangzhou to investigate the influence of tree plantings on pedestrian visual and thermal comfort in street canyons with various aspect ratios (H/W = 1, 2, 3; H = 1.2 m). We considered the effects of tree crown covers (big and small crown) and tree planting densities (ρ = 1, 0.5) on pedestrian illuminance level and two thermal comfort indices (Physiological Equivalent Temperature: PET and Index of Thermal Stress: ITS).
When ρ = 1, trees in most cases reduce pedestrian illuminance (maximum 140.0klux) and improve visual comfort. Decreasing ρ from 1 to 0.5 increases the illuminance (maximum 179.5klux) in the streets with big crown trees (H/W = 1, 2) and in the street with small crown trees (H/W = 2). When ρ = 1 (H/W = 1, 2), big crown trees decrease the peak daytime PET (by about 4.0 °C) and ITS (by about 285 W). Small crown trees (ρ = 1, H/W = 1, 2) produce a warming effect on peak daytime PET (2.0-3.0 °C), but a reduction in ITS is observed when H/W = 2, 3. After reducing ρ from 1 to 0.5, big crown trees increase peak daytime thermal stress according to both indices when H/W = 1, 2. Small crown trees exhibit a similar PET cycle between ρ = 0.5 and ρ = 1 across various H/W, but their daytime reduction of ITS is less effective when ρ = 0.5 (H/W = 2). The discrepancies between PET and ITS are attributed to their different approaches to modelling radiation fluxes. The narrower the street, the lower the illuminance, PET, and ITS, while their increases caused by reduced ρ are limited in narrow streets. Our study informs some potential urban tree planting strategies and produces high-quality validation data for numerical simulations and theoretical models.
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•Scaled outdoor experiments are tested for tree impacts in streets (H/W = 1–3, H = 1.2 m).•Tree plantings reduce pedestrian illuminance by up to 140 klux.•Big crown trees reduce daytime PET (4.0 °C) and ITS (285 W) to improve thermal comfort.•Big crown trees increase PET and ITS as planting density reduces (ρ = 1 to ρ = 0.5).•During daytime, small crown trees reduce ITS but increase PET.
Urbanisation has changed local meteorological conditions worldwide. The physical features of outdoor spaces are critical in determining outdoor thermal comfort through changes in meteorological ...parameters. Past studies comparing subjective thermal perception between local climate zones (LCZ) were mainly conducted in humid subtropical regions. This study aims to investigate this relationship using outdoor thermal comfort survey data collected in three research projects in Melbourne, Australia (temperate oceanic climate) (n = 4717). The physical features investigated included the sky view factor (SVF) and LCZ classification. During Melbourne's summer, people preferred a higher PET value than neutral PET across all LCZs. People in urban green spaces (LCZs B and C) were more likely to feel ‘neutral’ when Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) was 15.5 °C–24.5 °C and less likely to feel ‘slightly warm to hot’ when PET was 24.6 °C–55.6 °C. Furthermore, LCZ 6 (LCZ C) reported the highest (lowest) percentage of unacceptable votes. Cluster analysis identified two thermal comfort patterns (neutral and warm groups) representing various thermal sensations and preferences. The thermal comfort patterns proportion differed between built LCZs (5, 6) and land cover LCZs (B, C). Logistic regression revealed that PET values and urban morphology (i.e., LCZ) contributed significantly to people's thermal sensations and acceptability for neutral and warm groups. SVF significantly predicted the thermal sensation and acceptability for the warm group but not the neutral group. Our study approach informs further research to understand the implications of urban design in outdoor spaces using thermal comfort patterns as a benchmark.
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•People at LCZs B and C are more likely to feel neutral than those at built-up types.•People at LCZ 6 are more likely to feel unacceptable than those at LCZ 1.•Cluster analysis identifies two thermal comfort patterns (neutral and warm groups).•LCZ 2 had the highest percentage of the warm group for warm and hot thermal ranges.•PET and LCZ significantly predict the thermal sensation of neutral and warm groups.
A current systematic literature review has stated several deficiencies and knowledge gaps in biometeorology research conducted in Brazil. This finding encouraged a group of local professionals in the ...field to foster research initiatives in topics and regions yet unexplored in the country. Motivated by that, the group organized the first Brazilian Symposium on Human Biometeorology between July 4 and 8, 2022, in Natal (RN), northeastern Brazil. This paper aims to summarize the main studies presented at the symposium and highlight a few ideas that could be pursued next in human biometeorology in future research initiatives.
Urban tree planting has the potential to reduce urban heat island intensity and building energy consumption. However, the heterogeneity of cities makes it difficult to quantitatively assess the ...integrated impacts of tree planting and street layouts. Scaled outdoor experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of tree plantings on wind and thermal environments in two-dimensional (2D) north-south oriented street canyons with various aspect ratios (building height/street width, AR = H/W = 1, 2, 3; H = 1.2 m). The effects of tree species with similar leaf area index (C. kotoense, big crown; C. macrocarpa, small crown), tree planting densities (ρ = 1, 0.5), and arrangements (double-row, single-row) were considered.
Vegetation reduces pedestrian-level wind speed by 29%–70%. For ρ = 1 and single-row arrangement, C. kotoense (big crown) has a better shading effect and decreases wall and air temperature during the daytime by up to 9.4 °C and 1.2 °C, respectively. In contrast, C. macrocarpa (small crown) leads to a temperature increase at the pedestrian level. Moreover, C. kotoense raises the air and wall temperature of the upper urban canopy layer and increases the street albedo during the daytime because of the solar radiation reflected by trees. C. kotoense/C. macrocarpa produces the maximum daytime cooling/warming and nighttime warming of air temperature when H/W = 2 owing to its weaker convective heat transfer. When H/W = 3, the building shade dominates the shading cooling and tree cooling is less significant. When ρ = 1, double-row trees (C. kotoense) reduce wall and air temperatures by up to 10.0 °C and 1.0 °C during the daytime. However, reducing ρ from 1 to 0.5 weakens the capacity of daytime cooling by C. kotoense and the warming effect by C. macrocarpa. Our study quantifies the influence of tree planting and aspect ratios on the thermal environment, which can provide meaningful references for urban tree planting and produce high-quality validation data for numerical modeling.
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•Scaled outdoor experiments are tested for tree impacts in streets (H/W = 1–3, H = 1.2 m).•Tree plantings may reduce the pedestrian-level wind speed by 29%–70%.•Species with big crown get better cooling effect than small one in the daytime.•Tree planting density of ρ = 0.5 (less dense) produces higher T than ρ = 1 (denser).•Trees reduce (raise) air-wall T below (above) them due to solar shading/reflection.
Thermal history can influence human thermal comfort through physiological (short-term) and psychological (long-term) aspects. However, the nature of the interaction between long-term and short-term ...thermal history is unclear. To investigate the interactive effects of long-term and short-term thermal history on outdoor thermal comfort, we conducted summer thermal comfort surveys in Melbourne (n = 3293, January–February 2014), Guangzhou, and Zhuhai (n = 4304, September 2018). The mean thermal sensation of residents of Guangzhou was higher than that of Melbourne and Zhuhai residents under a similar Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) range. The preferred UTCI was the highest for Melbourne residents (19.62 °C). When UTCI was 25.6–38.4 °C, respondents' mean thermal sensation from Köppen climate zones A, B, and C was significantly higher in Guangzhou than those of Zhuhai and Melbourne. A three-way ANOVA test revealed that peoples' thermal sensations depended on a significant interaction among UTCI thermal stress levels, climate zones, and prior exposure environment. The prior exposure environment could affect the difference in thermal perception between climate zones. However, there was no significant interaction between climate zones and activity engaged in before taking the survey on thermal sensation. The difference in the thermal perception of various climate zones diminished under universally uncomfortable conditions for specific prior exposure environments and activities. The socio-ecological system model, environmental perception theory, climatocultural adaptation, and alliesthesia are useful for understanding the interactive effect of long- and short-term thermal history on outdoor thermal comfort. By revealing how people adapt to different climatic environments, our results can help ensure that people with diverse climatic backgrounds can experience thermal comfort outdoors.
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•Outdoor thermal comfort survey conducted in three cities in different climate zones•Three-way ANOVA to analyse interaction between long- and short-term thermal history•Exposure environment modifies effect of climatic background on thermal sensation.•Effect of climatic background on thermal sensation is not affected by prior activity.•People with similar climatic background adapt to local climate in the three cities.
•Thermal sensation differed among climate zones under moderate to strong heat stress.•Different trend in preferred thermal sensation observed among climate zones.•Humidity sensation/preference ...differed among climate zones, but not wind preference.•One year of acclimatization helped Northern Chinese group adapt to hot-humid climate.•Short-term thermal history modified thermal comfort requirement among climate zones.
Internal migration across different climate zones in China has increased as people seek better economic and education opportunities. Past indoor studies revealed the difference in thermal comfort and timescale of acclimatization of people from various climate zones. However, it is unclear whether the same results and mechanisms apply to transient outdoor conditions. To examine the thermal comfort of Chinese people with a diverse climatic background, we conducted an outdoor thermal comfort survey in Guangzhou and Zhuhai (n = 4267) in September 2018. We investigated the influence of long-term acclimatization and short-term thermal history on outdoor thermal comfort. When UTCI was 27.5–38.4 °C, the local respondents reported a lower thermal sensation than other climate zones. When relative humidity was 45–95%, there was a different humidity sensation and preference. Wind sensation was similar for different climate zones. One year of staying in Guangzhou/Zhuhai could diminish the difference in thermal and humidity sensation between climate zones. Furthermore, exposure environment and activity before the survey could modify this difference in outdoor thermal comfort between climate zones. Considering both long-term and short-term thermal history would improve outdoor thermal comfort forecast and meet the thermal comfort requirement of people with a diverse climatic background.
In urban planning, sustainability is often synonymous to urban livability. Urban livability seeks to improve living conditions of current and future outdoor users and hence it has become a key ...priority for cities authorities. Melbourne, as the world second most livable city, sets out to improve its urban life quality through various policies and initiatives. One area of improvement is the creation of sustainable outdoor spaces that provides comfortable thermal conditions for its residents. The relevant strategies to create such spaces are supported by the knowledge of human thermal comfort requirements, particularly during the summer thermal conditions. Hence, this study aims to develop comprehensive thermal comfort benchmarks for Melbourne during the summer. This study builds on 4717 subjective survey responses collected in seven urban environments with different settings. Data collection was performed in Melbourne's summer from 2012 to 2015. Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) was used to predict thermal comfort conditions. The results were based on four thermal comfort measures (neutral temperature, preferred temperature, acceptable thermal range and thermal comfort range). The analysis' outcomes suggested that Melbourne's summer acceptable thermal range is between 11.3 °C and 20.3 °C, the preferred temperature value is 21.5 °C, the neutral temperature value is 16.1 °C. Furthermore, PET index was calibrated against thermal responses collected from the surveys. The results would help to inform policies aiming to create sustainable outdoor spaces that are pleasant to outdoor users in Melbourne.
•Analytical techniques affect the values obtained for outdoor thermal benchmarking.•The thermal comfort benchmarks inform design strategies to create comfortable outdoor spaces within cities.•Summer preferred PET (21.5 °C) is higher than neutral PET (16.1 °C).•Summer acceptable thermal range is between 11.3 °C and 20.3 °C (PET) in Melbourne.•Further studies should cover other comfort requirements such as visual and acoustics.
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