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Clothing modulated heat stress in the context of climate change

Gao, Chuansi LU (2017) p.66-67
Abstract
The increase in average global temperature and higher
frequency of heat waves predicted by the majority of
meteorological models will increase the effect of heat stress
on human beings. For specifically addressing the impact of
this environmental health risk on individuals, improved
methods including individual factors such as clothing and
metabolic rate are needed. This presentation gives an
overview of the importance of protective clothing in relation
to heat stress indices (WBGT, PHS, UTCI).
Human body heat production and heat dissipation must be
balanced. The latter becomes difficult if environmental heat
stress level is high. Clothing can protect against extreme
heat and other hazards,... (More)
The increase in average global temperature and higher
frequency of heat waves predicted by the majority of
meteorological models will increase the effect of heat stress
on human beings. For specifically addressing the impact of
this environmental health risk on individuals, improved
methods including individual factors such as clothing and
metabolic rate are needed. This presentation gives an
overview of the importance of protective clothing in relation
to heat stress indices (WBGT, PHS, UTCI).
Human body heat production and heat dissipation must be
balanced. The latter becomes difficult if environmental heat
stress level is high. Clothing can protect against extreme
heat and other hazards, but it resists also heat dissipation
from the body to the environment. The efficacy of the above
heat stress indices is limited due to insufficient integration of
protective clothing and its interaction with climates. The
magnitude of evaporative heat loss hampered by clothing is
not constant in hot dry and hot humid environments. Thus,
the heat stress modulated by clothing and its interaction with
climate should be integrated into any comprehensive heat
stress assessment in the context of climate change.
Current WBGT index assumes ordinary one-layer work
clothing. Clothing adjustment factor is being introduced to
WBGT index. However, a constant clothing adjustment
factor may not work for both hot dry and hot humid climates.
67
PHS index does not apply to clothing insulation higher than
1.0 clo. UTCI is limited in its assessment to a fixed moderate
metabolic rate and typical clothing for urban populations. On
the warm side at air temperature about 32 to 40°C, the basic
leisure clothing insulation is only modelled to be constant at
about 0.3 clo. Therefore, the UTCI suffers similar limitations
as WBGT and PHS indices for the assessment of heat
stress when wearing protective clothing. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
heat stress, Climate change
host publication
International Society of Biometeorology
pages
66 - 67
project
Integrated inter-sector framework to increase the thermal resilience of European
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a9ef3a96-6b53-428d-8a38-2b7849d3ffc9
date added to LUP
2019-02-07 16:46:02
date last changed
2019-03-01 08:40:57
@inproceedings{a9ef3a96-6b53-428d-8a38-2b7849d3ffc9,
  abstract     = {{The increase in average global temperature and higher<br/>frequency of heat waves predicted by the majority of<br/>meteorological models will increase the effect of heat stress<br/>on human beings. For specifically addressing the impact of<br/>this environmental health risk on individuals, improved<br/>methods including individual factors such as clothing and<br/>metabolic rate are needed. This presentation gives an<br/>overview of the importance of protective clothing in relation<br/>to heat stress indices (WBGT, PHS, UTCI).<br/>Human body heat production and heat dissipation must be<br/>balanced. The latter becomes difficult if environmental heat<br/>stress level is high. Clothing can protect against extreme<br/>heat and other hazards, but it resists also heat dissipation<br/>from the body to the environment. The efficacy of the above<br/>heat stress indices is limited due to insufficient integration of<br/>protective clothing and its interaction with climates. The<br/>magnitude of evaporative heat loss hampered by clothing is<br/>not constant in hot dry and hot humid environments. Thus,<br/>the heat stress modulated by clothing and its interaction with<br/>climate should be integrated into any comprehensive heat<br/>stress assessment in the context of climate change.<br/>Current WBGT index assumes ordinary one-layer work<br/>clothing. Clothing adjustment factor is being introduced to<br/>WBGT index. However, a constant clothing adjustment<br/>factor may not work for both hot dry and hot humid climates.<br/>67<br/>PHS index does not apply to clothing insulation higher than<br/>1.0 clo. UTCI is limited in its assessment to a fixed moderate<br/>metabolic rate and typical clothing for urban populations. On<br/>the warm side at air temperature about 32 to 40°C, the basic<br/>leisure clothing insulation is only modelled to be constant at<br/>about 0.3 clo. Therefore, the UTCI suffers similar limitations<br/>as WBGT and PHS indices for the assessment of heat<br/>stress when wearing protective clothing.}},
  author       = {{Gao, Chuansi}},
  booktitle    = {{International Society of Biometeorology}},
  keywords     = {{heat stress; Climate change}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  pages        = {{66--67}},
  title        = {{Clothing modulated heat stress in the context of climate change}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}