Comfort in open public spaces: analysis of the relationship between population perceptions and microclimate, pollution and noise

Comfort analysis in public spaces is based on measurable perceptual and physical aspects that influence people's experience. This project will explore the relationship between physical variables such as microclimate, air quality and noise levels, and comfort perceptions in open public spaces. Since comfort is subjective, research distinguishes between transitional activities (mobility) and stay (permanence), which involve different levels of exposure to environmental factors. Most previous studies have addressed only thermal comfort, unlike this proposal, which also includes other dimensions that influence human comfort, such as noise and air pollution, which also negatively impact public health and well -being. The project will use a mixed approach to quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys to measure population perceptions and sensors to record environmental variables simultaneously. A multidimensional design will be implemented to ensure that the data collected properly reflect the heterogeneity of the population, the diversity of environmental conditions, and the different types of open public spaces. Simultaneous measurements will allow to analyze in a robust way the relationships between physical factors and comfort perceptions. The data will be analyzed through various mixed methods that allow identifying relationships between quantitative variables and comfort perceptions and what dimensions and variables influence the perception of comfort. This analysis has the potential to contribute to the generation of public policies that improve public health and well -being.

21st UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECT COMPETITION