At the Bochum Urban Climate Lab (BUCL), the microclimatic measurements in a daycare centre were planned and technically supervised. The focus was on near-ground climate parameters that are particularly relevant for human thermal comfort, including air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. On the basis of these measurements, the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was calculated in order to make the thermal load quantifiable.

The data collected over several days clearly show how quickly thermal stress can increase during outdoor stays, especially on hot days. This highlights the increasing need for cooling and adaptation measures in childcare facilities under increasing heat exposure.

The climatic measurements were complemented by work carried out by the Research Department of Child Nutrition (FKE), which investigated physiological reactions during outdoor stays. This made it possible to directly link environmental conditions on site with changes in thermal stress. The results indicate measurable increases in heat stress during longer outdoor activities and underline the importance of targeted adaptation strategies in daycare centres, particularly adapted recommendations for fluid intake.

We at BUCL would like to thank everyone for the successful collaboration in the WATCH project and look forward to future joint projects.