A field investigation on adaptive thermal comfort in school buildings in the temperate climatic region of Nepal

Abstract

A comfortable indoor environment is essential for students' health and academic performance in schools. As no major concerns were raised on the thermal comfort of students in Nepalese schools, we investigated the present condition of students’ thermal comfort in school buildings in the temperate climatic region of Nepal. A survey was conducted on the indoor thermal environment and the associated thermal perception during the middle autumnal season in 2017. Altogether, 818 students participated in this survey; they voted three times: at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of each 45-min lesson. Under the condition of natural ventilation, the indoor globe temperature was close to the outdoor air temperature. Approximately three quarters of the students felt comfortable at an average temperature of 27 °C. Private school students perceived a low estimated comfort temperature, which may be due to wearing more clothing insulation. Even though there is a dress code, students reduced their clothing to adapt to outdoor thermal environment, whose air temperature is above 30 °C. This study provides the adaptive thermal comfort system for Nepalese school students under natural ventilation during the middle autumnal season.