Hampo Chima Cyril, Schinasi Leah H, Hoque Simi
Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, USA.
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, USA.
Heliyon. 2024 Feb 3;10(3):e25801. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25801. eCollection 2024 Feb 15.
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.
面对全球气候变化不断升级以及极端高温事件愈发频繁的情况，减轻建筑物过热问题已成为当务之急。这篇综述汇聚了建筑科学和公共卫生领域的见解，以便全面了解室内过热对居住者的多方面影响。本文通过对住宅建筑室内过热及其后果进行全面探讨，填补了一项重大研究空白，特别关注美国，这个经济多元化的国家在相关文献中一直未得到充分体现。该综述阐明了过热对建筑环境中的热舒适性、健康以及社会经济方面的影响。它强调了相关的影响，包括制冷能源消耗增加、峰值电力需求上升以及脆弱性加剧，导致与高温相关的死亡率和发病率上升，尤其是在弱势群体中。研究得出结论，这些影响的脆弱性与区域气候条件密切相关，凸显了一刀切方法的不足。考虑到室内温度持续超过室外温度（即过热）这一情况的持续发生带来的独特挑战，认为针对每个气候区采取量身定制的干预措施是必要的。该研究强调了将解决室内过热问题作为公共卫生的一个关键方面的紧迫性，承认其直接的社会经济影响。它主张进行进一步研究，为保障不同室内环境下公众健康的综合政策提供依据。
