THE ADAPTIVE THERMAL COMFORT IN ARCHITECTURE STUDIOS

ABSTRACT

Traditionally, office and commercial structures have been the focus of most thermal comfort studies rather than educational institutions. because of the dense population in schools and the negative effects that an inappropriate temperature environment can have on lecturers' effectiveness and students' ability to study. In light of the comfort and health of those who use these facilities, thermal comfort is essential. The purpose of this study is to gather empirical data from a University of Benin, architecture student's studio in relation to the tropical environment of Benin City in order to assess the thermal comfort settings for occupants in naturally ventilated classrooms. Field research was done in a free-running architecture studio at the University of Benin's Faculty of Environmental Science in order to accomplish this, 117 occupants, selected from the studios and offices housed within these studios, participated in the survey. While students were designing in the studios, a questionnaire and respondent survey were conducted in tandem to collect data. The straightforward linear link between the outside and interior comfort temperatures provided by the current adaptive standards, however, is seen to adequately account for the influence of all other variables. The findings illustrate the variety of circumstances that naturally ventilated building occupants find comfortable.