Evaluation of occupants’ thermal perception in a university hospital in Turkey

Abstract

This study analysed the current thermal comfort conditions of Balikesir University Hospital in Turkey. Measurements and questionnaire surveys were performed to evaluate thermal comfort conditions. Environmental parameters such as air temperature, globe temperature, relative humidity and air velocity were measured. A total of 429 questionnaires were collected and analysed by using SPSS software version 22.0 to understand patients’, visitors’ and nurses’ perceptions on thermal comfort in the hospital. A total of 214 surveys were conducted in the summer period, and 215 surveys were conducted in the winter period. According to the results, thermal comfort levels for each group were ‘neutral’ in summer and ‘slightly warm’ in winter. Barely, the survey results showed that perception of thermal comfort was ‘slightly warm’ in summer and ‘neutral’ in winter. The thermal comfort level was mostly affected by differences in gender, age, participant type and orientation of the room. Furthermore, the requirements set out in standards did not meet those of respondents’ perceived thermal comfort. Finally, the relationships between predicted mean vote, actual mean vote and operative temperatures were examined. This analysis also demonstrated that the preferred temperature was 2·5°C below the predicted temperature for summer and 1°C above the predicted temperature for winter. According to these results, the neutrality point has shifted to +0·7 on the seven-point scale for both seasons.