Ricerc@Sapienza

Over the past ten years the number of studies regarding outdoor thermal comfort has been progressively increasing. However, the existing works are characterized by a certain variety of instruments and methods. An example can be found in the indexes and evaluation scales used to estimate thermal perception. This is why this paper proposes the Global Outdoor Comfort Index (GOCI), which is obtained thanks to the combination of the empirical relations provided by the existing literature.

This study presents an analysis of the thermo-hygrometric conditions in the city of Konya (Turkey). A one-year transversal field survey was carried out in the Selçuk University campus and 2295 valid questionnaires were collected. In each questionnaire, randomly selected interviewees provided personal information and judged their perception and thermal preference according to the ASHRAE 7-point and McIntyre scales, respectively.

Whether a journey is pleasant or not usually depends on the climatic conditions which permit to perform outdoor activities. The perception of climatic conditions, determined by physiological and psychological factors, can vary according to different adaptation phenomena related to the person involved and the weather conditions of the place where they live. Studying the bioclimatology of a country characterized by a high flux of tourism, as e.g. Italy, can provide some important information about where and when is it better to visit a place.

Climatological data show that the frequency of Heat Waves (HWs) has increased since the 1950s and that it will continue to increase. These phenomena exasperate the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon. In this study, we investigated the impact of a HW on the UHI in Milan (Italy); we also analyzed the effects of the application of high albedo materials on the vertical and horizontal urban built surfaces.