Enhancing the effectiveness of heat adaptation strategies through citizen science-based outdoor thermal comfort

Urbanization and intensifying climate change expose populations in cities to escalating heat stress and associated health risks. Mitigating these challenges require comprehensive assessments that combine quantitative and qualitative data to develop effective heat wave response strategies and policies. Previous research has primarily focused on thermal sensation measured by individual biometrics within specific locations. However, limitations in data collection across large areas often lead to the neglect of the influence of diverse urban environments. This may disregard the importance of regional variations and citizen engagement in formulating effective heat wave mitigation strategies. This study explored the impact of heat wave frequency and intensity across various urban spatial types and assessed thermal sensation vote (TSV) among residents of Suwon City using a citizen science approach. Temperature measurements and subjective heat sensations were collected over a three-year period using homemade temperature sensors. The analysis investigated thermal sensation differences across spatial types—open high rise, open low rise, compact mid-rise, urban park, and lake park—utilizing boxplots, and examined TSV variations by age using the R program localized smoothing methodology. Results indicate significant variations in TSV across different urban areas, particularly when temperatures exceeded 32 °C. The TSV was highest in the lake park areas (average thermal sensation vote +3.5) and was comparatively lower in the open high-rise and open low-rise areas (average thermal sensation vote +2.0). A significant age-related trend was observed, with the highest TSV reported by the 19–30 age group. Heat sensitivity appeared to decrease among participants aged 41 and over. These findings highlight the limitations of traditional top-down heatwave response strategies, which may not adequately account for spatial variations and individual experiences. Conversely, a bottom-up approach that leverages citizen science can inform the development of tailored and proactive strategies that consider a region's specific conditions. [Display omitted] •Citizen science can play a decisive role in tackling climate change challenges.•Younger persons experience more thermal discomfort in lake parks than older adults.•Age-sensitive planning is vital to creating effective heatwave response strategies.