The impact of socio-demographic factors on occupants’ thermal comfort and sensation: An integrated approach using statistical analysis and agent-based modeling

Abstract

The thermal comfort and thermal sensation of occupants can significantly impact the overall performance of the building. However, very little is known about how occupants perceive or thermally respond to their building interior layouts or what factors affect their thermal comfort and sensation, particularly in low-income residential homes. Through a post-occupancy evaluation of 394 occupants from 190 households in Chittagong, Bangladesh, this study examines the socio-demographic factors (i.e., gender, age, and home ownership) that influence occupants' thermal comfort and sensation. The chi-square, Cramer's V, and Lambda tests were used to statistically analyze the impact of selected socio-demographic factors. The results showed that female occupants were significantly less satisfied than male occupants with their existing thermal environment. However, the study did not find any influence of age or home ownership on occupant thermal comfort. Furthermore, comprehensive agent-based modeling (ABM) was implemented to support the results of the statistical analysis of the influence of gender on occupants' thermal comfort levels. The ABM was designed based on the theory of planned behavior. As a simulation output, the ABM model stochastically estimated occupants' thermal comfort and sensation level in terms of the predicted mean vote. Similar to the statistical analyses, the results of the ABM also indicated better thermal comfort and thermal sensation for male occupants than for female occupants. The results of the study can serve as a guideline for better understanding the socio-demographic factors involved in the modeling or remodeling of occupant thermal comfort in developing economies.