Traditional and contemporary building thermal sensations prediction models in a warm-humid climate

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ABSTRACT Passive ways of providing thermal comfort have been intensively researched in many nations. Despite researchers’ strenuous efforts, most studies on thermal comfort concerns are centred on continents such as Asia, America, Europe, and Africa, with a handful of studies comparing building types in the sub-Saharan area. However, none has focused on statistical models to predict the thermal sensations of occupants in traditional and modern structures during the dry season. Hence, this study investigated interior relative humidity, air temperature, and occupants’ thermal feelings in traditional and modern structures in the dry season in Okigwe, Nigeria. The data for this investigation was collected by physically measuring relative humidity and air temperature using data loggers. A longitudinal survey technique was also used to elicit answers from the residents of the selected traditional and modern structures on the thermal feeling of comfort temperature. To predict the inhabitants’ thermal sensations in the building types investigated, two statistical models were developed: ‘TSVt = 0.65 (MITt) – 13.5’ for traditional structures and ‘TSVc = 0.74 (MITc) – 16’ for modern. The comfort range and neutral temperature of ‘3.15 ≤ TSV ≤ 4.85’ 1–7 yielded 26.8°C as the neutral temperature for the occupants of traditional buildings, with the comfort ranging between 25.6°C and 28.2°C. Contemporary building occupants’ neutral temperature and comfort ranges from 25.9°C to 28.2°C. The study therefore recommended the use of the developed models by Architects, Planners, and Designers for predicting the occupants’ sensations of the building types before preliminary investigations and design sketches, as with such information, the designer possesses the necessary tools for providing buildings that are thermally comfortable for maximum comfort and minimal consumption of energy.