Another summer, another wave of record-breaking heat. Recent heatwaves across many parts of the world remind us that extreme heat is no longer an exceptional event: they are becoming a defining feature of a warming climate. As heat increasingly shapes our everyday life, rethinking the design of our cities and outdoor spaces is becoming essential—comfort and climate-responsive design is no longer an optional feature, but an essential component of healthy, accessible, resilient urban environments.
We're excited to share our latest publication in Building and Environment, "Microclimate design: Cool Pocket Networks as a Sustainable Local Outdoor Comfort Strategy" by Viola Zhang, Mohammad Hamza and Nadir Abdessemed. The paper introduces a physiological–spatial framework that integrates human thermal response with urban microclimate design, proposing Cool Pocket Networks as a sustainable approach to creating connected outdoor environments that help cities adapt to rising heat.
To read the full paper, take advantage of the free access until August 15th, 2026 >