Outdoor Thermal Comfort for Active Ageing in Urban Open Spaces: Reviewing the Concepts and Parameters

Outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) has considerable impacts on the health and life of different groups of people. Older people are one of the most vulnerable groups to climate-related diseases. Heat-related deaths are likely to increase due to an increasing proportion of adults aged 65 and over in the total population. Reviewing literature shows that very few studies have investigated OTC for older people compared to indoor environments. This paper aims to present a comprehensive literature review of the recent literature that discusses differences in OTC sensations and preferences between older people and other age groups. Also, this research reviews effective parameters that should be considered during the planning of outdoor places. These parameters are mainly categorized into two groups of environment-and human-based parameters. Existing comfort models are not fully developed to consider the effects of both environment and human-based parameters for OTC assessment for older people. It is important that the ageing aspects of the OTC being taken into account to shed light on the complex factors of OTC studies. Therefore, holistic agendas and comprehensive masterplans can facilitate communication between policy-making entities, scientific institutions, and urban planners to present healthier urban development for the elderly.