Investigating The Comfort Temperature For School Children In A Warm And Humid Climate Of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Thermal conditions in classrooms influence the physical and social development and the overall well-being of a student's life. Understanding the relationship between thermal conditions in classrooms and the perception of the thermal environments by the students will help in providing sustainable classroom blocks. This paper presents the results of a study relating to thermal comfort in three selected naturally-ventilated classroom schools located in the warm and humid climate of Imo State, Nigeria. The aim was to determine the perception of the thermal environment by young children aged 7-12 years in these classroom spaces. The investigation was carried out during the rainy and dry seasons where the environmental parameters in the surveyed classrooms were measured, together with simultaneous subjective assessment of the subjects through the use of questionnaires. Regression analysis was applied between the mean thermal responses of the children and the mean operative temperatures to determine their optimum temperature, the preferred temperature, and their comfort range. Results indicate that the subjects accepted the indoor thermal environments beyond the range specified by the International standards such as ASHRAE and ISO. For the combined classrooms all season, the optimum temperature obtained for the young children was 28.8oC with a preferred temperature of 27.4 oC  and comfort range of 25.8-31.6oC. The findings in this paper may add value to the thermal comfort data base and also provide useful input in the provision of classroom blocks that are sustainable.