Cool steps ahead

Analysing and mitigating potential heat stress on the pedestrian network of Arnhem

Global warming is globally leading to an increasing number of heat waves that are also progressing in duration and intensity. These heat waves lead to health-related issues for pedestrians in urban areas. To enhance health and thermal comfort in urban settings, integrating heat stress mitigation into urban planning is crucial. However, there is a lack of standardised methods for local authorities in identifying and mitigating heat-related issues. This thesis presents a methodology to identify and mitigate heat stress for pedestrians in urban areas, with a focus on the city of Arnhem. Using geo-data analysis of perceived heat and by modelling the relative importance of segments within the pedestrian network of Arnhem, the research aimed to identify areas within the pedestrian network where relatively many people are exposed to heat stress. This knowledge can be used by local authorities in prioritising areas for future heat mitigation plans. The findings reveal that central urban areas generally have high exposure to heat stress for pedestrians due to the combination of high levels of pedestrian traffic and heat stress. Besides geodata analysis, literature research was done to find out what makes a heat mitigation strategy effective and which strategies might apply to the climate and context of Arnhem. The information gained from the literature research was used in combination with descriptive fieldwork on two selected street segments that were taken as case studies to develop heat mitigation strategies. This study aims to fill a knowledge gap in city-wide thermal comfort analysis and offers information to urban planners. It aims to provide a framework for other cities facing similar challenges, thereby contributing to the discussions on sustainable urban development and climate adaptation. The study emphasises how important context-specific design is in improving pedestrian thermal comfort in urban settings.