The Thermal Condition and Comfort Temperature of Traditional Residential Houses Located in Mountainous Tropical Areas: An Adaptive Field Study Approach

Abstract

Thermal comfort may be evaluated from the thermal condition of residential houses and their occupants’ satisfaction. This research evaluates the thermal comfort of traditional residential houses located in mountainous areas of Wonosobo, Indonesia. The evaluation is conducted based on the physical condition of residential houses and their occupants’ satisfaction factors. A quantitative approach is employed to analyze the theory of static thermal comfort (Predicted Mean Vote/PMV) and that of adaptive thermal comfort (Actual Mean Vote/AMV). The research method is conducted based on a field study. The thermal condition is measured using 4 climate variables and 2 personal variables. Climate variables are air temperature, globe temperature, relative humidity and wind velocity. Personal variables are clothes and activity. AMV was based on thermal sensation from ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). The sensation thermal is very cold (-3), cold (-2), cool (-1), neutral (0), warm (+1), hot (+2), very hot (+3). The research has conducted a survey of 14 houses with 39 respondents. The research findings show that the comfort temperature is 24.47oC within air temperature (Ta) or 24.14oC within Tg or 24.17oC within To or 25.08oC within TET or 24.69oC within TSET. These findings are compared to those previously conducted in Jakarta and Bandung showing that some differences are dealing with their comfort temperature. The other findings show that there are also some PMV and AMV differences of traditional residential houses located in the tropical mountainous areas.