Geographia Polonica (2013) vol. 86, iss. 1

UTCI - validation and practical application to the assessment of urban outdoor thermal comfort

Peter Bröde, Eduardo L. Krüger, Dusan Fiala

Geographia Polonica (2013) vol. 86, iss. 1, pp. 11-20 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/GPol.2013.2

Abstract

We introduce here the structure and elements to the recently-developed Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), aswell as operational procedure relating to it. This is then followed by a demonstration of how the UTCI can be applied tobioclimatic surveys, using data from a study carried out in the sub-tropical urban area of Curitiba, Brazil. The empiricaldata from that were found to confirm the assumptions behind the UTCI model, which also supplied adequate predictionsof pedestrians’ behaviour as regards clothing and thermal sensation. Finally, in the context of urban planning, we showthat the UTCI captures the influence of the design characteristics of streets and public spaces on urban microclimate,and its impact on pedestrian thermal comfort.

Keywords: human biometeorology, climate index, model, urban planning

Peter Bröde [broede@ifado.de], Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo) Ardeystr 67, D-44139 Dortmund: Germany
Eduardo L. Krüger, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná Departamento de Construção Civil Campus Curitiba – Sede Ecoville, Rua Deputado Heitor de Alencar Furtado, 4900, 81280-340 Curitiba – PR: Brazil
Dusan Fiala, ErgonSim-Comfort Energy Efficiency Holderbuschweg 47, D-70563 Stuttgart: Germany