Iranian Sustainable Building Scientific Association International Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability 2538-1628 7 2 2026 04 01 Mitigating Pedestrian Thermal Discomfort: A Review of Design Strategies for Urban Thermal Walkability 179 195 738411 10.22034/ijumes.2026.2069675.1324 EN Mahshid Ghorbanian Assistant Professor, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran 0000-0002-0141-4315 Journal Article 2025 08 22 Thermal walking has gained prominence in urban design as cities face rising temperatures and expanding urban heat islands. Understanding how pedestrians experience rapidly changing thermal conditions is essential for improving walkability, health, and urban livability. This review aims to: (1) synthesize recent research on outdoor thermal comfort indicators; (2) identify microclimatic and design factors affecting thermal walking; (3) summarize climate-responsive design strategies; and (4) outline key challenges and future directions. A systematic literature review was conducted using Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, covering studies from 2010 to 2023. Peer-reviewed research on outdoor thermal comfort, pedestrian movement, and urban design was thematically coded and compared across climatic contexts, focusing on microclimatic variables, biometeorological indices (PET, UTCI, SET), subjective measures (TSV, TCV), and design interventions. Mean Radiant Temperature consistently emerges as a major determinant of pedestrian thermal sensation. Urban geometry, materials, vegetation, and water features substantially influence radiant flux, shading, and ventilation. No single index fully captures thermal walking; integrating objective and subjective indicators provides the most robust assessment. Advances in thermal imaging, mobile sensing, and CFD modeling enhance evaluation accuracy, though climatic variability, financial constraints, and retrofitting challenges persist. Improving thermal walking requires adaptive, context-specific strategies that combine climate-responsive design, real-time environmental data, and human-centric insights. As climate change accelerates, thermally responsive pedestrian environments will be critical for supporting active mobility, public health, and sustainable urban development. https://www.ijumes.com/article_738411_03ba0892cb7e6c8620124d7e8a56ece4.pdf