Dear Colleagues,

It is clear that the "human thermal machine" responds to external thermo-hygrometric solicitation in a very complex way and that the perception of such solicitation goes far beyond the thermodynamic balance. Physiological, psychological and sociological aspects are intertwined in defining the response of populations.

Suitable indices based on measurable quantities have been defined in order to quantify and predict the thermal comfort of normotype individuals who carry out their activities outdoors. The definition of these indices has allowed the implementation of new multidisciplinary approaches for deeper knowledge of many topics in scientific disciplines that are seemingly distant from each other.

Guaranteeing conditions of outdoor well-being for people represents a common and universal goal that can be achieved from different points of view and which concerns different professional skills. Furthermore, particular attention is required for the study of outdoor comfort in the future.

For example, the analysis of outdoor comfort indices provides urban planners with information on the connection between cities’ morphology or construction materials (both of buildings and street furniture) and comfort in outdoor meeting places. Similar information is crucial also for the redesign or rethinking of urban areas in order to make them resilient to future climatic conditions. In the same way, this analysis could provide meteorologists and climatologists with information on how the variation in weather variables affects the comfort of the population from the microscale (e.g., the urban heat island) to the macroscale (e.g., large-scale temporal climatic changes). Using these comfort indices, socio-health workers could also prevent the risks associated with high thermo-hygrometric discomfort, especially for the most vulnerable portion of the population. In the tourism sector, these indices can help to identify the best periods of the year to ensure pleasant stays for populations with different perceptions of external thermo-hygrometric conditions. This would allow better management of tourist flows during the year, depending on the destination. Another possible application of these indices is in sports medicine, as athletes' performance can be significantly influenced by the weather conditions where sporting events are held. Indeed, it is crucial to understand how to improve the adaptation of athletes to these conditions. Similar needs arise in the military when troops are transferred to locations characterized by weather conditions very different from that of their usual location. Additionally, the fashion industry could benefit from the use of these indexes to create clothing with a specific thermal resistance for the season (or for the local climate) in order to ensure better comfort conditions. This list of possible applications can extend to other sectors where external thermo-hygrometric conditions can influence human activities.

The Special Issue "Multidisciplinary Studies on Thermo-Hygrometric Comfort in Outdoor Environments and Their Technological, Environmental, Climatic and Health Applications" will include notable contributions on all these aspects. Experts from all research fields are, therefore, invited to share their ideas and experiences in a multidisciplinary way on these topics. Furthermore, this Special Issue will hopefully encourage debate on the future scenarios related to climate change and its effects on outdoor thermo-hygrometric comfort.

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Ferdinando Salata
Dr. Serena Falasca
Guest Editors

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