Community Use and Perceptions of Climate Shelters in Schoolyards in Barcelona
ObjectivesThis study explores the use and perceptions of thermal comfort and wellbeing among the local community in the schoolyards in Barcelona that had been transformed into accessible climate shelters.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative evaluation through a spontaneous ethnographic approach, combin...
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| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1608083/full |
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| author | Marta Sanz-Mas Marta Sanz-Mas Xavier Continente Xavier Continente Xavier Continente Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo María José López María José López María José López María José López |
| author_facet | Marta Sanz-Mas Marta Sanz-Mas Xavier Continente Xavier Continente Xavier Continente Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo María José López María José López María José López María José López |
| author_sort | Marta Sanz-Mas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesThis study explores the use and perceptions of thermal comfort and wellbeing among the local community in the schoolyards in Barcelona that had been transformed into accessible climate shelters.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative evaluation through a spontaneous ethnographic approach, combining 22 non-participant observations in the 11 transformed schoolyards with brief spontaneous interviews with 76 users and 18 caretakers who supervised the schoolyards during non-school days (June–July 2022). We conducted a thematic content analysis. We analyzed user characteristics, thermal comfort and wellbeing, activities and differences by age and gender, social behavior, additional benefits, and areas for improvement.ResultsAdapted schoolyards were mostly visited by families and groups of adolescents with a higher proportion of boys. Participants reported that shade provided coolness and comfort, vegetation offered pleasant and naturalized environments, and water features were enjoyed for their cooling capacity and play opportunities. Schoolyards were mainly used as places for outdoor recreation and socialization.ConclusionThis study provides policymakers with evidence to support the transformation of schoolyards into climate shelters, creating comfortable outdoor recreational areas for the surrounding urban community. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8ee8a81a5a474524bb8c64f7ee8a8812 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1661-8564 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-8ee8a81a5a474524bb8c64f7ee8a88122025-02-07T08:48:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.International Journal of Public Health1661-85642025-02-017010.3389/ijph.2025.16080831608083Community Use and Perceptions of Climate Shelters in Schoolyards in BarcelonaMarta Sanz-Mas0Marta Sanz-Mas1Xavier Continente2Xavier Continente3Xavier Continente4Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo5Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo6Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo7María José López8María José López9María José López10María José López11Servei d’Avaluació i Mètodes d’Intervenció, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainDepartament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut (DCEXS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, SpainServei d’Avaluació i Mètodes d’Intervenció, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainGrupo de Evaluación de políticas y programas de salud pública, Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, SpainGrupo de Evaluación de políticas y programas de salud pública, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), Barcelona, SpainServei d’Avaluació i Mètodes d’Intervenció, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainGrupo de Evaluación de políticas y programas de salud pública, Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, SpainGrupo de Evaluación de políticas y programas de salud pública, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), Barcelona, SpainServei d’Avaluació i Mètodes d’Intervenció, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainDepartament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut (DCEXS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, SpainGrupo de Evaluación de políticas y programas de salud pública, Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, SpainGrupo de Evaluación de políticas y programas de salud pública, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), Barcelona, SpainObjectivesThis study explores the use and perceptions of thermal comfort and wellbeing among the local community in the schoolyards in Barcelona that had been transformed into accessible climate shelters.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative evaluation through a spontaneous ethnographic approach, combining 22 non-participant observations in the 11 transformed schoolyards with brief spontaneous interviews with 76 users and 18 caretakers who supervised the schoolyards during non-school days (June–July 2022). We conducted a thematic content analysis. We analyzed user characteristics, thermal comfort and wellbeing, activities and differences by age and gender, social behavior, additional benefits, and areas for improvement.ResultsAdapted schoolyards were mostly visited by families and groups of adolescents with a higher proportion of boys. Participants reported that shade provided coolness and comfort, vegetation offered pleasant and naturalized environments, and water features were enjoyed for their cooling capacity and play opportunities. Schoolyards were mainly used as places for outdoor recreation and socialization.ConclusionThis study provides policymakers with evidence to support the transformation of schoolyards into climate shelters, creating comfortable outdoor recreational areas for the surrounding urban community.https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1608083/fullclimate change adaptationcommunityschoolsthermal comforturban health |
| spellingShingle | Marta Sanz-Mas Marta Sanz-Mas Xavier Continente Xavier Continente Xavier Continente Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo María José López María José López María José López María José López Community Use and Perceptions of Climate Shelters in Schoolyards in Barcelona International Journal of Public Health climate change adaptation community schools thermal comfort urban health |
| title | Community Use and Perceptions of Climate Shelters in Schoolyards in Barcelona |
| title_full | Community Use and Perceptions of Climate Shelters in Schoolyards in Barcelona |
| title_fullStr | Community Use and Perceptions of Climate Shelters in Schoolyards in Barcelona |
| title_full_unstemmed | Community Use and Perceptions of Climate Shelters in Schoolyards in Barcelona |
| title_short | Community Use and Perceptions of Climate Shelters in Schoolyards in Barcelona |
| title_sort | community use and perceptions of climate shelters in schoolyards in barcelona |
| topic | climate change adaptation community schools thermal comfort urban health |
| url | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1608083/full |
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