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During intense heat events, the morbidity and mortality of the population increase [...]

To date, it is well known that the effect of heat or cold on human beings cannot be described and quantified based only on one single meteorological or thermo-physiological parameter [1]. Since the effects of thermal environments on humans have been quantified, more than 160 thermal indices have been designed according to human thermal physiology and sensation [1]. [...]the following five indices can be described as appropriate: [...]the concept of the equivalent temperature is an approach, which is not only helpful, but a “gentle” solution that can moreover be shared more easily with non-experts as well. Because of the complexity of the energy balance equation and the extracted thermal indices, they have to be calculated with specific numeric models or programs [17]. PET requires activity, and PT metabolism and UTCI have default defined values. [...]caution in the calculation is important concerning this issue.

Today, and when reflecting upon the growing effects of heat (and its respective quantification), it has never been clearer that these concerns will remain, if not augment, for decades to come [...]

[...]specific areas (with high political and environmental pressure) can be analyzed to determine which would be the best configuration of the surfaces, aspect ratios or orientations of trees and buildings [20,21]. [...]different materials and their properties can be simulated within models to quantify their respective effect upon an encircling microclimate. [...]climate change simulations can be helpful when analyzing the factors which are affecting the urban climate in future timeframes [3,16,22]. Easily understandable graphs and figures are an effective possibility for better communication among different users and disciplines [17]. [...]air temperature is not the only ”singular” important parameter which can depict the overall effect of weather and climate conditions on human health.

[...]according to the current knowledge, it is expected that climate change will lead to an increase in extreme meteorological events in the future, which will also increase the health risks for the population [1]. Relative thresholds are more suited for comparison between different countries, as humans are adapted to the regional and local climate [3]. Since the heat waves of summer 2003, countries and cities in Europe have started to develop emergency plans, including early warning systems [4]. With accurate and early weather forecasts, thorough knowledge of the effects of heat, and education and advice for citizens and targeted measures for vulnerable populations, as well as appropriate landscape and urban planning measures, the number of avoidable deaths should be reduced in future heat waves [5,6]. In the discussion on climate change, the urban climate has a special status due to the large local population density, and the locally high levels of energy consumption [10,11].

The aim of this contribution is both to demonstrate and to explore the general assessment pertaining to the effects of atmospheric factors on human health and general wellbeing. While humans are aware of such effects, particularly individually, their concrete and synergetic effects with the human physiological system are, comparatively, not well comprehended. In human biometeorological studies and approaches, the aforementioned effects are analyzed in terms of their effect pathways, and the development of single or complex approaches. Recurrently in the existing literature, such approaches are mostly defined and, respectively, targeted as indexes. The evaluation and assessment of similar factors and parameters that present related effects were subsequently put together and quantified. This approach is described as ‘effective complexes’ or components. The most well-known examples are the thermal complex, air pollution complex (which can be divided into the biological (pollen) and anthropogenic (air pollutants) factors), actinic complex, and finally, the recent or rapid weather changes complex. Most of the approaches focus on the negative effects consequential to the established criteria ranging from empirical outputs, to epidemiological studies. As a result, the presented approach does not only include the negative effects or implications on humans. Instead, it also highlights the neutral and positive effects which were acknowledged by the research. The approach deals furthermore with the combined effects of different complexes or components and incorporates different weightings of the factors based on the disclosed effects. In addition, seasonal and exposure factors are deliberated upon to differentiate annual variability factors. Finally, the presented approach builds upon a way in which to cogitate how the complex interactions associated to weather and climate can be quantified in a more appropriate way in the context of human health. The approach aims to be applied for a specific weather forecast enabling the communication and balance between human health factors, and also more encompassing climatic analysis.

The MoBiMet (Mobile Biometeorology System) is a low-cost device for thermal comfort monitoring, designed for long-term deployment in indoor or semi-outdoor occupational contexts. It measures air temperature, humidity, globe temperature, brightness temperature, light intensity, and wind, and is capable of calculating thermal indices (e.g., physiologically equivalent temperature (PET)) on site. It visualizes its data on an integrated display and sends them continuously to a server, where web-based visualizations are available in real-time. Data from many MoBiMets deployed in real occupational settings were used to demonstrate their suitability for large-scale and continued monitoring of thermal comfort in various contexts (industrial, commercial, offices, agricultural). This article describes the design and the performance of the MoBiMet. Alternative methods to determine mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) using a light intensity sensor and a contactless infrared thermopile were tested next to a custom-made black globe thermometer. Performance was assessed by comparing the MoBiMet to an independent mid-cost thermal comfort sensor. It was demonstrated that networked MoBiMets can detect differences of thermal comfort at different workplaces within the same building, and between workplaces in different companies in the same city. The MoBiMets can capture spatial and temporal differences of thermal comfort over the diurnal cycle, as demonstrated in offices with different stories and with different solar irradiances in a single high-rise building. The strongest sustained heat stress was recorded at industrial workplaces with heavy machinery.

Application of thermal indices has become very popular over the last three decades. It is mostly aimed at urban areas and is also used in weather forecasting, especially for heat health warning systems. Recent studies also show the relevance of thermal indices and their justification for thermal perception. Only twelve out of 165 indices of human thermal perception are classified to be principally suitable for the human biometeorological evaluation of climate for urban and regional planning: this requests that the thermal indices provide an equivalent air temperature of an isothermal reference with minor wind velocity. Furthermore, thermal indices must be traceable to complete human energy budget models consisting of both a controlled passive system (heat transfer between body and environment) and a controlling active system, which provides a positive feedback on temperature deviations from neutral conditions of the body core and skin as it is the case in nature. Seven out of the twelve indices are fully suitable, of which three overlap with the others. Accordingly, the following four indices were selected as appropriate: Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), Perceived Temperature (PTJ), Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET), and rational Standard Effective Temperature (SET*).

The study of human biometeorological conditions is becoming increasingly important in climate perception for the improvement of public health system. The present study investigates the long-term thermal bioclimate conditions in four stations of West Bengal, India. Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal, and three suburban stations, namely, Dum Dum, Canning and Diamond Harbour, located in the adjacent districts of Kolkata, have been selected. The biometeorological conditions have been estimated by physiological effective temperature (PET) and modified physiologically equivalent temperature (mPET) at 1130 h and 1730 h (IST) based on 42 years of meteorological data. The initial purpose of this study is to present the monthly distribution of PET and mPET categories and further highlight the structure of each thermal index in four tropical climate locations. The results from this analysis reveal higher human thermal stress in Kolkata compared to other neighbouring stations during the period from 1979 to 2018. Reverse behaviour was observed from 2018 to 2020 indicating that Diamond Harbour and Canning are warmer in terms of human thermal stress compared to Kolkata and Dum Dum. The results captured has also been validated by mean monthly, mean seasonal PET and mPET index difference between Kolkata (urban station) and other three stations (suburban areas). During the past period (1979–2018), highest differences in PET and mPET were recorded in Canning and Diamond Harbour for the months September to November (SON), varying between 4 and 5 °C both at prenoon and evening. The second highest differences of indices ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 °C were observed during December to February (DJF). For the last two years (2018–2020), the seasonal differences of PET and mPET are negative, implying that Dum Dum, Canning and Diamond Harbour at 1130 h are warmer by a maximum of 2 °C in comparison to Kolkata. Finally, the mean annual thermal indices of each year show a growing trend in all the four stations with a variation of 0.4°C to 0.7°C and 1.1°C to 1.3°C in early noon and evening measurements respectively for 40 years.

As climate warming accelerates, heat emerges as a major planetary threat [...]