Analysis of Thermal Condition of Classrooms in Suburban Area During Corona Virus Desease using Adaptive Method

Abstract

This article addresses the influence of a classroom’s thermal environment on the thermal comfort of the student when windows and vents are wide open during a pandemic, following Corona Virus Desease regulations. This research was conducted quantitatively by measuring the classrooms’ thermal environments from 08:00 to 13:00 at a suburban high school. The findings indicate that the classroom’s average air temperature (Ta) was 29.80°C, with an average relative humidity (RH) of 67.71%, an average airflow velocity (V) of 0.05m/s, an average Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT) of 29.67°C, and an average operating temperature (Top) of 29.72°C. An analysis was conducted using the web-based CBE Thermal Comfort Tool with the Adaptive Method, which can analyze the acceptance of thermal conditions based on operative temperature (Top). According to the analysis, it can be concluded that the thermal environment conditions in the morning in a “Comfortable” condition based on the ASHRAE-55 scale with the operative temperature (Top) are 27.37°C, the airflow speed (V) is 0.3m/s, and the prevailing mean outdoor temperature is 29.73°C. However, during the day, the ambient environmental conditions change, and the thermal comfort turns to “Too Warm” due to the operative temperature condition (Top), which is at the highest point of 31.46°C, with a prevailing mean outdoor temperature of 29.73°C, and an airflow speed (V) of 0.3m/s. It can be seen that the condition has not been able to meet the ASHRAE-55 standard, both in the 80% acceptability limit and the 90% acceptability limit range.