Cell phone based application for exploring thermal perception in urban areas: case of Prague-Holešovice district

Abstrakt

Manifestation of climate change together with increasing urbanization call for more efficient solutions in urban planning. Most of the studies regarding thermal comfort research are based mainly on thermal conditions. Nevertheless, according to the human-oriented paradigm it becomes apparent that thermal comfort is largely affected by mental component which is usually neglected. In this contribution, we introduce a simple cell phone (based) application, which provides reporting of actual thermal sensation vote of a control group of respondents and presents first results for Prague-Holešovice district (Czech Republic) which can be further analyzed statistically in context of several other recorded and simulated environmental as well as mental factors. First results revealed arterial roads and exposed concrete areas as mental hotspots. Results also suggest that particular areas including a peninsula with a river port, a waterfront or one of the parks were perceived differently then we could expect. Eventual findings of this study ought to be taken into account, together with the thermal exposure, in planning effective heat stress reduction measures in urban areas.