Adaptive model for thermal comfort of students in secondary schools in the tropical city of Makassar

This research aimed to examine the thermal comfort performance of students in naturally ventilated secondary schools’ classrooms in Makassar. The analysis compared the thermal balance and the adaptive model. The study analyzed data gathered from surveys conducted at eight secondary schools and local weather stations. The data consists of the measured indoor thermal environment of 48 classrooms. The personal data, users’ perceptions, and adaptive behaviors of 1,594 students were recorded in the questionnaire sheets. The questionnaire also recorded the thermal perception of students about the thermal environments of classrooms. In terms of thermal sensation, the study found that the neutral temperature estimated by PMV was overestimated the neutral temperature developed by actual votes of students. The PMV model estimated the neutral temperature of students at 23.0 °C which was about 7 °C lower than the neutral temperature calculated using the students’ actual thermal sensation votes (30.2 °C). This was a very big discrepancy between the predicted and the actual. The adaptive thermal comfort model produces more appropriate results than the PMV model. The modified Humphrey’s model predicted more close neutral temperature to the actual one which was 29.1 °C. Students adapt to the thermal environment through several activities. This adaptation makes students remain comfortable even in the hot thermal environment.

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