Publications des scientifiques de l'IRD

Pohl B., Dos Santos Stéphanie, Bai G. M., Compaore Y., Dianou K., Diallo-Dudek J., Soura A., Janicot Serge. (2021). Indoor temperature variability in the Sahel : a pilot study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 146 (3-4), 1403-1420. ISSN 0177-798X.

Titre du document
Indoor temperature variability in the Sahel : a pilot study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Année de publication
2021
Type de document
Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:000704619300001
Auteurs
Pohl B., Dos Santos Stéphanie, Bai G. M., Compaore Y., Dianou K., Diallo-Dudek J., Soura A., Janicot Serge
Source
Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 2021, 146 (3-4), 1403-1420 ISSN 0177-798X
Very little research has documented the exposure of populations in Africa to extreme heat. We measured indoor air temperature and humidity hourly for 13 months in seven houses of contrasted architecture and construction materials all in the northern neighbourhoods of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. These measurements are compared to air temperatures recorded at the synoptic weather station of Ouagadougou airport and to land surface temperature estimates from Landsat satellite images at seven dates with clear-sky conditions. The results reveal huge temperature differences (exceeding 10 degrees C) between houses, especially in the afternoon hours of the warmest season. Indoor temperature is also much more variable than land surface (outdoor) temperature in the same locations, as estimated by satellite imagery. Houses with greater thermal inertia smooth the afternoon temperature peak, reducing heat exposure. Heat stress bioindicators reveal that danger thresholds, while rarely reached in some houses, are frequently exceeded in others year round except for the core of the cold winter season (December and January). In spring, the hottest season, the danger threshold is almost permanently exceeded in these dwellings, exposing their inhabitants to significant heat stress. This pilot study shows the primary role of housing in modulating indoor temperature, raising questions of public health and habitability of Sahelian regions in a warming world. This issue will be of increasing importance with ongoing climate change, hence the need for further, more detailed instrumented campaigns in African settlements.
Plan de classement
Sciences du milieu [021] ; Urbanisation et sociétés urbaines [102]
Description Géographique
BURKINA FASO ; OUAGADOUGOU ; ZONE SAHELIENNE
Localisation
Fonds IRD [F B010083217]
Identifiant IRD
fdi:010083217
Contact