A new University of British Columbia study published in Urban Climate finds that people waiting at bus stops they find visually pleasant are more likely to feel thermally comfortable during hot weather, even when physical heat levels are high.
In other words, how a place looks and feels can shape comfort alongside actual heat exposure.
"Our findings show that thermal comfort isn't just about air temperature or shade," said lead author Logan Steinharter, who conducted the research as a master's student in UBC's faculty of forestry. "How people perceive a space—its openness, greenery and overall look—can meaningfully influence how comfortable they feel, particularly under extreme heat."
Aesthetics linked to thermal comfort
The research examined 60 bus stops across Denver, Colorado, a semi-arid city increasingly affected by extreme heat. Researchers combined on-site micrometeorological measurements, including air temperature, radiant heat, and physiological heat stress indices, with surveys of transit users, asking riders how hot or comfortable they felt and how visually pleasant they found each stop.
Visual appeal emerged as one of the strongest predictors of perceived thermal comfort, alongside standard heat measures. Riders were more likely to report feeling comfortable at bus stops they rated as visually pleasant, even when physical heat stress levels were high.
Even at hotter bus stops, people were more likely to feel comfortable if they liked what they were looking at. This didn't reduce actual heat exposure, but it did change how the heat was experienced.
Greener stops feel more pleasant
The study also examined which features of bus stop environments were associated with higher aesthetic ratings. Bus stops with greater tree canopy cover and more visible vegetation were more likely to be rated as visually pleasant by transit users.
By contrast, conventional bus shelters alone were often rated lower in aesthetic appeal. The researchers caution that shelters still matter for heat protection, but that design and visual quality warrant further attention in transit planning.
"This highlights a design challenge, not a simple solution," said senior author Dr. Melissa McHale, associate professor of urban ecology and sustainability at UBC. "Shelters are important, but design choices matter. The way infrastructure looks and feels can influence people's experience of heat, even when physical exposure remains high."
Implications for heat-resilient transit
As cities across North America grapple with rising temperatures and the need to keep public transit usable and equitable during heat waves, the findings point to the importance of integrating experiential design alongside physical cooling strategies.
"Green infrastructure doesn't replace the need to reduce heat exposure," said Dr. McHale, recently awarded a $1-million Wall Fellowship for research that aims to help B.C. communities adapt to a hotter, drier and more fire-prone future. "But it plays a meaningful role in shaping how people experience heat in everyday public spaces. If we want transit systems that are both climate-resilient and people-centred, we need to think beyond bare-bones infrastructure and consider the full experience of waiting for transit."
The findings underscore that aesthetics alone won't solve heat risk—but they can make public spaces feel more bearable during extreme heat.
