الفهرس 
Chapte r One In troductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The rapid urbanization in Lebanon has had diverse impacts on its population, particularly in relation to climate change. Coastal cities in Lebanon, which house approximately 60% of the population, are particularly affected. However, research on the influence of urban climate on outdoor-human comfort conditions in Lebanon is inadequate and primarily focuses on indoor comfort conditions. Therefore, this PhD thesis aims to investigate the combined effects of urbanization and climate change, providing an overview of outdoor thermal human comfort in Lebanon.
Specifically, the thesis focuses on exploring the impact of urbanization on meteorological parameters and assessing outdoor thermal human comfort in three selected case study areas: Greater Beirut City, Tripoli, and Houche Al-Oumara. To evaluate the trend of thermal discomfort, various indices such as Thom’s Discomfort Index (DI), Kibler Discomfort Index (THI1) (Temperature-Humidity Index), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Discomfort Index (THI2), and Wind Chill Index (WCI) were employed. The study analyzes data from Beirut City (1999-2021), Tripoli City (1994-2021), and Houche Al-Oumara (1994-2021).
The literature review examines different parameters of comfort, with a specific focus on thermal comfort, its influencing factors, and methods of assessment and quantified calculations. Additionally, the study investigates air temperature and relative humidity data in Beirut to understand local climate change and the potential impacts of urbanization resulting from industrialization and rural-to-urban migration.
The analysis of air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and wind speed data for the three selected stations provides insights into discomfort periods. Seasonal variations in thermal conditions are also discussed, with an emphasis on local climate change and the potential impacts of urbanization, particularly in Beirut, over the past three decades. The findings indicate an upward trend in annual average air temperatures and a downward trend in annual average relative humidity in Beirut, the most densely populated and industrialized city, as well as in Tripoli, the second-largest city in Lebanon. Summer exhibits the highest levels of thermal discomfort, while Spring, Fall, and Winter show relatively minimal discomfort, with greater thermal comfort observed in the rural village of Houche Al-Oumara. Furthermore, fluctuations in yearly rainfall are observed across the three regions.
These results are crucial for understanding, simulating, and monitoring human thermal comfort/discomfort in educational facilities, workplaces, and other public spaces in Beirut. The methodology employed in the three selected regions enables recommendations for improving uncomfortable areas in current and future urban planning, particularly in the context of the expanding urbanization, especially in the Greater Beirut City, as well as in the development of future similar cities.