The knowledge obtained from urban thermal studies needs to be transferred to planners and architects in such a way that this can influence the approach to physical planning and be applied in practice. Three case studies illustrate the possibilities and limitations of applying urban climate control measures to improve living conditions. The climate and microclimate impact studies and design recommendations were carried out by the authors for the project of a new city, the revision of the planning code for an urban district of a large metropolitan region and an urban waterfront development. The differences between the research environment and the planning context are stressed in terms of time scale, priorities and application possibilities.