About the research

Our study in Amsterdam aims to create healthy indoor climates in warming cities. Warm episodes such as heatwaves increase the risk of developing heat-related illnesses, like heat strokes. Heat can also affect your productivity and your sleep. To create healthy indoor climates, we must first understand the impact of heatwaves on citizens’ health. The health of a person during a heatwave depends on four main factors: 1. Atmospheric parameters, 2. Behaviour, 3. Physical condition, and 4. Specifications of the house.

In order to measure the atmospheric parameters, we will place weather stations in eventually 100 households in Amsterdam. The weather stations measure temperature, humidity and CO₂ concentrations. To understand how individuals experience heat, we will ask the participants some questions during heatwaves and days with high temperatures. These questions relate to their physical condition, happiness and their behaviour at home to stay cool. Finally, heat can be different throughout Amsterdam. Homes next to a park are generally cooler than top-floor, south-facing apartments. The energy label of your home can also make a big difference.

If we understand better how the four factors affect the health of citizens during heatwaves, we can give advices to citizens and the municipality, for example. These advices can range from actions you can take at home, such as when it is best to open and close the windows, to actions the municipality can take, such as making neighbourhoods greener.

Because our study takes 3 years or more, we will also investigate winters. With rising energy prices, it has become extremely important for households to use as little gas and energy as possible in winter.

With our data, we hope to give advice on how to reduce your energy bill.

For more detailed information about our research, have a look at our Amsterdam Living Lab page.

Or have a look at our video on our measurement campaign on the Dam in Amsterdam during summer.

Stakeholder workshop
for everyone

Soon we will organise a stakeholder workshop. This is an afternoon where you will get more insight in our research and where you can share your ideas with us! It will be in the afternoon on a day somewhere between 7 and 15 June. The location is the Amsterdam Institute of Advanced Metropolitan Solutions at the Kattenburgerstraat 5, 1018 JA in Amsterdam.

If you are interested in joining this stakeholder workshop, you’re more than welcome. Just send us an email.