Laboratoire des Sciences de l’Ingénieur pour l’Environnement (LaSIE) - UMR CNRS 7356

[PostDoc] Developing a cumulative and combined indicator of thermal comfort and air quality

Context

Amid climate change and rapid urbanization, cities face the growing challenge of overheating. Extreme events - such as heatwaves - are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged during summer months, and the urban heat island phenomenon exacerbates their effects. Therefore, urban inhabitants are increasingly exposed to diverse warm microclimates in their daily routines, whether commuting between home, work, leisure, or commercial spaces, often experiencing conditions ranging from mild thermal discomfort to severe heat stress. In this context, the ANR AAPG 2024 PRCE CoolPath project aims to deepen our understanding of how urban microclimates affect pedestrian comfort. The project will address combined and cumulative exposures to heat and air pollution across the daily pathways of urban inhabitants, accounting for the diversity and variability of microenvironmental conditions encountered. Until now, the issue has been treated as a succession of independent situations, without addressing the following questions :

• What is the impact of the history of thermal exposure throughout a journey on the comfort of pedestrians ? Is prolonged exposure to “slightly warm” conditions equivalent to a short period of exposure to “hot” conditions in terms of thermal discomfort ?
• Thermal and air quality studies are generally conducted in isolation and at a given spatial scale. Does a high level of air pollution affect the perception of thermal comfort, and vice versa ?

Objectives and methodology

The objective of the postdoctoral research is to deepen our understanding [1-4] of how pedestrian discomfort from urban overheating and air pollution is affected by the frequency and severity of heat and air pollutant exposures over time, and to develop a new indicator that accounts for their combined and cumulative effects along pedestrian pathways in urban environment.

The postdoctoral research will consist of developing a new cumulative and combined indicator of thermal comfort and air quality considering the following steps :

• Literature review on the mechanisms underlying thermal comfort over prolonged exposures.
• Statistical analyses of empirical measurements and surveys collected over different outdoor pathways as part of the CoolPath project to provide deeper insights into how thermal comfort or perception of air quality is linked to the occurrence of discomfort events.
• Testing the new indicator : statistical comparison with collected survey data and application in urban climate modelling tools.

Tight interdisciplinary interactions are anticipated with the other participants of the CoolPath project : air quality experts from Air Pays de la Loire, researchers involved in the experimental campaigns, and urban climate modellers.

Candidate profile

The candidate must hold a PhD or master degree with a focus on thermal/energy/building/mechanical engineering, bioengineering, biometeorology, physiology, or a related discipline.
Additional appreciated skills and expertise are :

• Experience in the statistical analysis of data from scientific studies with human participants.
• Knowledge regarding the interaction between humans and the thermal environment and their physiological and subjective thermal responses.
• Research interest in interdisciplinary and internationally visible research.
• Willingness to acquire appropriate French language skills for project communication.
• Independent and accurate work ethic, a strong sense of responsibility, and the ability to integrate into a team.

How to apply

Please send your CV and motivation letter to emmanuel.bozonnet@univ-lr.fr and marika.vellei@u-bordeaux.fr, before 12/06/2026 (later applications will be considered only if the position has not been filled).

Host laboratory

Laboratoire des Sciences de l’Ingénieur pour l’Environnement (LaSIE), La Rochelle University, La Rochelle, France.

Duration

12+12 months, starting from 01/09/2026.
This Postdoc is funded by the ANR through the AAPG 2024 PRCE CoolPath project.

References

[1] B. Huang, A. Matzarakis, B.-J. He, Nonlinear law of cumulative heat exposure and dynamic thermal comfort during pedestrians’ walking : Field experiments and machine learning predictions, Sustainable Cities and Society 131 (2025) 106696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2025.106696.
[2] Z. Yang, M. Cui, H. Xiao, H. Sun, B. Wang, B. Lin, W. Shi, Analysis of thermal comfort experience using peak-end rule with air conditioner in heating season, Building and Environment 229 (2023) 109965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109965.
[3] H. Zhao, L. Zhao, Y. Zhai, L. Jin, Q. Meng, J. Yan, R. Wu, R.D. Brown, The impact of dynamic thermal experiences on pedestrian thermal comfort : A whole-trip perspective from laboratory studies, Building and Environment 258 (2024) 111599.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111599.
[4] Y. Zhao, D. Li, Multi-domain indoor environmental quality in buildings : A review of their interaction and combined effects on occupant satisfaction, Building and Environment 228 (2023) 109844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109844.