Abstract
A comprehensive assessment of indoor environmental conditions is performed on a representative sample of classrooms in schools across southern Spain (Mediterranean climate) to evaluate the thermal comfort level, thermal perception and preference, and the relationship with HVAC systems, with a comparison of seasons and personal clothing. Almost fifty classrooms were studied and around one thousand pool-surveys distributed among their occupants, aged 12 to 17. These measurements were performed during spring, autumn, and winter, considered the most representative periods of use for schools. A new proposed protocol has been developed for the collection and subsequent analysis of data, applying thermal comfort indicators and using the most frequent predictive models, rational (RTC) and adaptive (ATC), for comparison. Cooling is not provided in any of the rooms and natural ventilation is found in most of the spaces during midseasons. Despite the existence of a general heating service in almost all classrooms in the cold period, the use of mechanical ventilation is limited. Heating did not usually provide standard set-point temperatures. However, this did not lead to widespread complaints, as occupants perceive the thermal environment as neutral—varying greatly between users—and show a preference for slightly colder environments. Comparison of these thermal comfort votes and the thermal comfort indicators used showed a better fit of thermal preference over thermal sensation and more reliable results when using regional ATC indicators than the ASHRAE adaptive model. This highlights the significance of inhabitants’ actual thermal perception. These findings provide useful insight for a more accurate design of this type of building, as well as a suitable tool for the improvement of existing spaces, improving the conditions for both comfort and wellbeing in these spaces, as well as providing a better fit of energy use for actual comfort conditions.
Highlights
Nonuniversity schools are one of the most common and widespread building typologies
A comprehensive assessment of indoor environmental conditions is performed on a representative sample of classrooms in schools across southern Spain (Mediterranean climate) to evaluate the thermal comfort level, thermal perception and preference, and the relationship with HVAC systems, with a comparison of seasons and personal clothing
Heating did not usually provide standard set-point temperatures. This did not lead to widespread complaints, as occupants perceive the thermal environment as neutral—varying greatly between users—and show a preference for slightly colder environments. Comparison of these thermal comfort votes and the thermal comfort indicators used showed a better fit of thermal preference over thermal sensation and more reliable results when using regional adaptive thermal comfort (ATC) indicators than the ASHRAE adaptive model
Summary
Nonuniversity schools are one of the most common and widespread building typologies. Given their constant use over long hours and the sensitivity of their occupants, indoor thermal comfort must be guaranteed [1].In the early days of thermal comfort model theory [2,3,4,5], a series of combined studies was carried out on preschool, elementary, and secondary school classrooms in the United States and the United Kingdom in order to assess the thermal sensation of the occupants. The review of thermal comfort in educational buildings performed by Zomorodian et al [10] from 1969 to 2015 found that previous studies argued that Rational Thermal Comfort (RTC) models, many of which were described in EN 15251: 2007 [11], could not predict the thermal comfort level in nonuniversity classrooms accurately. This was due, among other factors, to the wide disparity in thermal neutralities in the same climate zones and educational stages. Adaptive thermal comfort (ATC) indicators showed higher temperature limits than those reported by the students
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