Indikator zur Quantifizierung der Wirksamkeit von Anpassungsmaßnahmen an Hitze im Freiraum

<p>Der grundsätzliche Zusammenhang zwischen dem mikroskaligen Klima einer Stadt, ihrer Struktur und Grünraumausstattung ist vielfach belegt. In Hinblick auf den Klimawandel stellt urbanes Grün eine wichtige Anpassungsmaßnahme (AM) an Hitze dar, dessen Bewahrung und Förderung bei gleichzeitiger baulicher Verdichtung eine stete Herausforderung ist. Vor dem Hintergrund der begrenzten personellen und finanziellen Ressourcen vieler Städte ist es daher wichtig, die Wirksamkeit verschiedener AM zu quantifizieren und zu bewerten, um passgenaue AM in Stadtquartieren priorisieren zu können. Hierzu ist es notwendig, den verantwortlichen Akteuren angepasste Methoden, z.B. Indikatorensets, für die Entscheidungsfindung bereitzustellen. Diese Voraussetzung ist bisher unzureichend erfüllt (z.B. Barthesaghi Koc et al. 2018).</p> <p>Im Verbundprojekt ‚HeatResilientCity-II‘ (HRC-II) wurde daher ein Indikatorset basierend auf Stadtklimasimulationen (ENVI-met, Bruse 1999) entwickelt, welches eine erste, vereinfachte Quantifizierung der Wirksamkeit von AM an Hitze erlaubt. Zur Beurteilung der Wirksamkeit der AM wird dabei ein bioklimatischer Index verwandt (UTCI; Universal Thermal Climate Index, Jendritzky et al. 2012), sodass direkt Aussagen zur Änderung der thermischen Belastung des Menschen ermöglicht werden. Hierbei werden sowohl Bedingungen am Tag als auch in der Nacht adressiert und so dem Umstand Rechnung getragen, dass nicht alle AM für alle Tageszeiten gleich wirksam sind. In einer ersten Version werden zwei verschiedene Kategorien umgesetzt, zum einen die Quantifizierung der Wirkung von AM für Einzelflächen begrenzter Ausdehnung und zum anderen für Straßenbegleitgrün. </p> <p>Dem Nutzer wird eine Auswahl von Flächen bereitgestellt, welche unterschiedliche Anpassungsmaßnahmen repräsentieren und die jeweils mittels eines Steckbriefes kurz beschrieben werden. Derzeit stehen für die Kategorie Einzelmaßnahmen begrenzter Ausdehnung 39 Flächen zur Verfügung und für die Beurteilung von Straßenbegleitgrün 25 Flächen. Die zugehörigen UTCI-Werte sind entsprechend in einer Datenbank hinterlegt und ermöglichen somit einen Vergleich der thermischen Belastung verschiedener Beispielflächen.</p> <p>Die Entwicklung des Indikatorsets erfolgt in Zusammenarbeit mit Praxispartnern aus zwei Städten (Erfurt und Dresden) mit dem Ziel das Indikatorset nutzerfreundlich zu gestalten.</p> <p> </p> <p>Literatur</p> <p>Bartesaghi Koc, C., Osmond, P., and Peters, A.: Evaluating the cooling effects of green infrastructure: A systematic review of methods, indicators and data sources, Solar Energy, 166, 486–508, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2018.03.008, 2018.</p> <p>Bruse, M.: Die Auswirkungen kleinskaliger Umweltgestaltung auf das Mikroklima. Entwicklung des prognostischen numerischen Models ENVI-Met zur Simulation der Wind-, Temperatur- und Feuchterverteilung in städtischen Strukturen, Universität Bochum, Bochum, 1999, https://doi.org/10.23689/fidgeo-440.</p> <p>Jendritzky, G., Dear, R. de, and Havenith, G.: UTCI—Why another thermal index?, Int J Biometeorol, 56, 421–428, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-011-0513-7, 2012.</p>

Universal thermal climate index associations with mortality, hospital admissions, and road accidents in Bavaria

When meteorological conditions deviate from the optimal range for human well-being, the risks of illness, injury, and death increase, and such impacts are feared in particular with more frequent and intense extreme weather conditions resulting from climate change. Thermal indices, such as the universal thermal climate index (UTCI), can better assess human weather-related stresses by integrating multiple weather components. This paper quantifies and compares the seasonal and spatial association of UTCI with mortality, morbidity, and road accidents in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany. Linear regression was applied to seasonally associate daily 56 million hospital admissions and 2.5 million death counts (1995–2015) as well as approximately 930,000 road accidents and 1.7 million people injured (2002–2015) with spatially interpolated same day- and lagged- (up to 14 days) average UTCI values. Additional linear regressions were performed stratifying by age, gender, region, and district. UTCI effects were clear in all three health outcomes studied: Increased UTCI resulted in immediate (1–2 days) rises in morbidity and even more strongly in mortality in summer, and lagged (up to 14 days) decreases in fall, winter, and spring. The strongest UTCI effects were found for road accidents where increasing UTCI led to immediate decreases in daily road accidents in winter but pronounced increases in all other seasons. Differences in UTCI effects were observed e.g. between in warmer north-western regions (Franconia, more districts with heat stress-related mortality, but hospital admissions for lung, heart and external reasons decreasing with summer heat stress), the touristic alpine regions in the south (immediate effect of increasing UTCI on road accidents in summer), and the colder south-eastern regions (increasing hospital admissions for lung, heart and external reasons in winter with UTCI). Districts with high percentages of elderly suffered from higher morbidity and mortality, particularly in winter. The influences of UTCI as well as the spatial and temporal patterns of this influence call for improved infrastructure planning and resource allocation in the health sector.

Bioclimatic Conditions of June 2019 in Poland on a Multi-Year Background (1966–2019)

The study objective was to characterise human-biometeorological conditions in the summer season in the period 1966–2019 in Poland, with particular consideration of June 2019. The study was conducted based on data from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management—National Research Institute (IMGW–PIB) for the years 1966–2019. The data provided the basis for the calculation of the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). The study revealed high spatial variability of human-biometeorological conditions in Poland, with strenuous character intensifying from the north to the south of the country. An increase in UTCI in the summer season was recorded in the studied multi-annual period. It was the most intensive in the north-eastern Poland. The consequence of the observed changes was an increase in the frequency of days with heat stress categories (days with UTCI > 26.0 °C), and a decrease in the frequency of days with cold stress categories (days with UTCI < 9.0 °C). Season 2019 stood out at the scale of the entire country in the context of the multi-annual period. This particularly concerns June, when mean monthly UTCI values were the highest in the analysed multi-annual period.

Accelerating Urban Heating Under Land-Cover and Climate Change Scenarios in Indonesia: Application of the Universal Thermal Climate Index

Climate change causing an increase of frequency and magnitude of heat waves has a huge impact on the urban population worldwide. In Indonesia, the Southeast Asian country in the tropical climate zone, the increasing heat wave duration due to climate change will be also magnified by projected rapid urbanization. Therefore, not only climate change mitigation measures but also adaptation solutions to more frequent extreme weather events are necessary. Adaptation is essential at local levels. The projected increase of the heat wave duration will trigger greater health-related risks. It will also drive higher energy demands, particularly in urban areas, for cooling. New smart solutions for growing urbanization for reducing urban heat island phenomenon are critical, but in order to identify them, analyzing the changing magnitude and spatial distribution of urban heat is essential. We projected the current and future spatial variability of heat stress index in three cities in Indonesia, namely, Medan, Surabaya, and Denpasar, under climate change and land-cover change scenarios, and quantified it with the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) for two periods, baseline (1981–2005) and future (2018–2042). Our results demonstrated that currently the higher level of the UTCI was identified in the urban centers of all three cities, indicating the contribution of urban heat island phenomenon to the higher UTCI. Under climate change scenarios, all three cities will experience increase of the heat, whereas applying the land-cover scenario demonstrated that in only Medan and Denpasar, the UTCI is likely to experience a higher increase by 3.1°C; however, in Surabaya, the UTCI will experience 0.84°C decrease in the period 2018–2042 due to urban greening. This study advanced the UTCI methodology by demonstrating its applicability for urban heat warning systems and for monitoring of the urban green cooling effect, as well as it provides a base for adaptation measures’ planning.

UTCI as the NWP model ALADIN (CHMI) output – first experiences

The article includes a summary of basic information about the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) calculation by the numerical weather prediction (NWP) model ALADIN of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI). Examples of operational outputs for weather forecasters in the CHMI are shown in the first part of this work. The second part includes results of a comparison of computed UTCI values by ALADIN for selected place with UTCI values computed from real measured meteorological data from the same place.

The evaluation of biothermal conditions for various forms of climatic therapy based on UTCI adjusted for activity

The objective of this study was to assess biothermal conditions in the selected Polish health resorts for specific forms of climatic therapy. We calculated Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) for ten-year period (2008- 2017) and then added adjustment terms, taking into account changes in metabolic rates during various physical activities from resting to vigorous exercise. The adjusted UTCI values increased with rising activity, implying that warmer parts of the year were unsuitable for intensive forms of climatotherapy. These results demonstrate that the UTCI adjustment procedure provides well-balanced assessments of bioclimatic conditions for the purpose of climatic treatment considering the level of activity

The assessment of human bioclimate of Vranje health resort (Serbia) based on Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) with the focus on extreme biothermal conditions

The study deals with an assessment and interpretation of the bioclimatic conditions in Vranje (southern Serbia). The study aims at temporal distributions of bioclimatic conditions focussing on extreme thermal stress based on the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). The meteorological data required for the calculation of UTCI concern hourly (7 and 14 CET) weather data collected for the period 2000-2017. The frequency of very strong heat stress (VSHS), very strong cold stress (VSCS) and extreme cold stress (ECS) for both morning and midday hours. Furthermore, the daily difference of the UTCI hourly values (diurnal UTCI change) are specified, giving the daily variance of heat and cold stress. The results revealed the frequency of days in which thermal stress prevails for the studied period. The obtained results show an increase in extreme heat biothermal conditions, while extreme cold biothermal conditions are in decline, especially in the last 10 years. However, the frequency (the number of days) of very strong heat stress (VSHS) increased since 2007. A spectacular increase in heat stress was observed in the month of September, particularly in 2015.

The influence of external environment on workers on scaffolding illustrated by UTCI

The aim of the article was to present the influence of the external environment on people working on scaffolding. For this purpose, the heat load of a man was determined using the universal thermal climate index. The research was carried out on 40 facade scaffolds located in four voivodeships in Poland: Lower Silesia, Lublin, Lodzkie, and Masovian. The conducted analysis showed that employees may experience strong or very strong heat stress, and also extreme heat stress in isolated cases. The highest probability at 0.30 level occurs on scaffolds located in the Lodzkie voivodeship. Environmental conditions are therefore unfavourable for people working outside. This can lead to reduced concentration, longer reaction time, and greater fatigue, contributing to an increase in situations that could lead to accidents. Hazard identification allows to take safety measures that improve the comfort of work on scaffolding.