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Journal article - Review
Surviving indoor heat stress in United States: A comprehensive review exploring the impact of overheating on the thermal comfort, health, and social economic factors of occupants
Heliyon, v 10(3), e25801
Feb 2024
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
In the face of escalating global climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme heat events, the mitigation of building overheating has become an urgent priority. This comprehensive review converges insights from building science and public health domains to offer a thorough understanding of the multifaceted impacts of indoor overheating on occupants. The paper addresses a significant research gap by offering a holistic exploration of indoor overheating of residential buildings and its consequences, with a specific focus on the United States, an economically diverse nation that has been underrepresented in the literature. The review illuminates the effects of overheating on thermal comfort, health, and socio-economic aspects within the built environment. It emphasizes associated repercussions, including heightened cooling energy consumption, increased peak electricity demand, and elevated vulnerability, leading to exacerbated heat-related mortality and morbidity rates, especially among disadvantaged groups. The study concludes that vulnerabilities to these impacts are intricately tied to regional climatic conditions, highlighting the inadequacy of a one-size-fits-all approach. Tailored interventions for each climate zone are deemed necessary, considering the consistent occurrence of indoor temperatures surpassing outdoor levels, known as superheating, which poses distinct challenges. The research underscores the urgency of addressing indoor overheating as a critical facet of public health, acknowledging direct socioeconomic repercussions. It advocates for further research to inform comprehensive policies that safeguard public health across diverse indoor environments.
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Details
- Title
- Surviving indoor heat stress in United States: A comprehensive review exploring the impact of overheating on the thermal comfort, health, and social economic factors of occupants
- Creators
- Chima Cyril Hampo - Drexel UniversityLeah H. Schinasi - Drexel UniversitySimi Hoque - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Heliyon, v 10(3), e25801
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Grant note
- Research reported in this paper was supported by NHLBI of the National Institutes of Health under award number R56HL164726. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering; Environmental and Occupational Health
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001182264600001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85184612030
- Other Identifier
- 991021848511804721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health