As a consequence of climate change and urbanization, many cities will have to deal with more flooding and extreme heat stress. This paper presents a framework to maximize the effectiveness of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for flood risk reduction and thermal comfort enhancement. The framework involves …

As a consequence of climate change and urbanization, many cities will have to deal with more flooding and extreme heat stress. This paper presents a framework to maximize the effectiveness of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for flood risk reduction and thermal comfort enhancement. The framework involves …

When firefighting, the combination of exposition to high temperatures, high physical demands and wearing (heavy and insulated) personal protective equipment lead to increased risk of heat stress and exhaustion in firefighters. Heat stress can easily evolve into a life-threatening heat stroke. Once heat …

Canalization, an intrinsic robustness of development to external (environmental) or internal (genetic) perturbations, was first proposed over half a century ago. However, whether the robustness to environmental stress (environmental canalization [EC]) and to genetic variation (genetic canalization) are …

Increasing urbanization and the effects of climate change will bring new challenges for cities, such as energy saving and supply of renewable energy, preventing urban heat islands and water retention to deal with more frequent downpours. A major urban surface, the surface of roofs, is nowadays hardly …

Since it is insufficiently clear to urban planners in the Netherlands to what extent design measures can reduce heat stress and which urban spaces are most comfortable, this study evaluates the impact of shading, urban water, and urban green on the thermal comfort of urban spaces during hot summer afternoons. …

According to a governmental decision, all (re)constructions in Dutch cities starting by 2020 have to be climate resilient. Part of this climate resilience is also adaptation to (extreme) heat. Although urban heat, its causes, consequences, and potential adaptation measures, have been extensively studied …

The changing climate has an effect on the quality of life in our cities: heavier rainfall (resulting in floodings), longer periods of drought, reduced air and water quality and increasing temperatures in cities (heat stress). Awareness about these changes among various stakeholders is of great importance. …

Animal welfare has a high importance this day and age. In 1998 the 'Five freedoms' of Brambell have been put in the European law. Thermal comfort for dairy cows is in these five freedoms and so thermal discomfort must be avoided. Heat stress affects animal welfare, milkproduction, udder-health and reproduction …

Urban planning will benefit from tools that can assess the vulnerability to thermal stress in urban dense cities. Detailed quick-scan heat stress maps, as made in this study for Johannesburg, have proven valuable in the decision-making process on this topic. It raised awareness on the urgent need to …