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Heat vs. Health: Home Office under a Changing Climate

Author

Listed:
  • Sophie Kathrin Schaffernicht

    (Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Andreas Türk

    (Institute of Building Research and Innovation ZT-GmbH, 1010 Vienna, Austria)

  • Martha Kogler

    (Greenpass GmbH, 1190 Vienna, Austria)

  • Andreas Berger

    (Green4Cities GmbH, 1070 Vienna, Austria)

  • Bernhard Scharf

    (Greenpass GmbH, 1190 Vienna, Austria
    Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria)

  • Lukas Clementschitsch

    (bauXund forschung und beratung gmbh, 1220 Vienna, Austria)

  • Renate Hammer

    (Institute of Building Research and Innovation ZT-GmbH, 1010 Vienna, Austria)

  • Peter Holzer

    (Institute of Building Research and Innovation ZT-GmbH, 1010 Vienna, Austria)

  • Herbert Formayer

    (Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria)

  • Barbara König

    (Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria)

  • Daniela Haluza

    (Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Stressors are especially widespread in urban agglomerations. Common themes of built environment interventions that support health and well-being are blue and green infrastructure, indoor and outdoor air quality, thermal comfort, access to natural lighting, and acoustics. Given the current megatrends of increasing summer temperatures and the high popularity of home offices, we aimed at modeling thermal comfort changes of people working at home in three Austrian cities (Vienna, Innsbruck, and Graz) during the next decades until 2090. We present findings based on (I) an inter-disciplinary literature search and (II) indoor and outdoor climate simulations for actual and future climate scenarios. Based on the results, we discuss the potential impacts for work and human health and well-being, and we suggest a framework for the home office in “post-COVID-19 Austria” that integrates social, ecological, and economic aspects. The results of our study indicate that, in future climate scenarios, overheating of the interior can no longer be prevented without active cooling measures and nature-based solutions. Recommendations on the adjustment of behavior under climate change, including greening, adequate ventilation, and cooling techniques, are thus urgently needed for employees who are working from home in order to maintain physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Suggested Citation

  • Sophie Kathrin Schaffernicht & Andreas Türk & Martha Kogler & Andreas Berger & Bernhard Scharf & Lukas Clementschitsch & Renate Hammer & Peter Holzer & Herbert Formayer & Barbara König & Daniela Haluz, 2023. "Heat vs. Health: Home Office under a Changing Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-24, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:9:p:7333-:d:1135296
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leo Capari & Harald Wilfing & Andreas Exner & Thomas Höflehner & Daniela Haluza, 2022. "Cooling the City? A Scientometric Study on Urban Green and Blue Infrastructure and Climate Change-Induced Public Health Effects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Daniela Haluza & Regina Schönbauer & Renate Cervinka, 2014. "Green Perspectives for Public Health: A Narrative Review on the Physiological Effects of Experiencing Outdoor Nature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Florian Reinwald & Christiane Brandenburg & Anna Gabor & Peter Hinterkörner & Astrid Kainz & Florian Kraus & Zita Ring & Bernhard Scharf & Tanja Tötzer & Doris Damyanovic, 2021. "Multi-Level Toolset for Steering Urban Green Infrastructure to Support the Development of Climate-Proofed Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-23, November.
    4. Florian Reinwald & Daniela Haluza & Ulrike Pitha & Rosemarie Stangl, 2021. "Urban Green Infrastructure and Green Open Spaces: An Issue of Social Fairness in Times of COVID-19 Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-9, September.
    5. Maria Beatrice Andreucci & Alessio Russo & Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo, 2019. "Designing Urban Green Blue Infrastructure for Mental Health and Elderly Wellbeing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-14, November.
    6. Marshall Burke & Felipe González & Patrick Baylis & Sam Heft-Neal & Ceren Baysan & Sanjay Basu & Solomon Hsiang, 2018. "Higher temperatures increase suicide rates in the United States and Mexico," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(8), pages 723-729, August.
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