Determining the Adaptive Thermal Comfort and Preference Votes of Children in Public Primary Schools in the Hot Semi-arid Climatic Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

Provisions for thermal comfort is important to childrens’ performance and health. The lack of good environmental comfort can greatly affect the learning capacity of pupils. An inherent research concern is that current thermal comfort approaches are predicated on the adult subjects. However, there is no certainty on the effect of these approaches towards children. This study is a research survey with experimental measurements using Kestrel 5500 indoor climate tracker on the effects of thermal comfort on the learning capacity of children. It adopted a cross-sectional approach using graphic questionnaires for data collection. The graphic comfort scale sought the pupils to make a subjective voting of their thermal sensations when they were in their classroom environment using the adapted ASHRAE thermal sensation 5 points scale. Concomitantly, measurements were taken with instruments with the records of Mclntyre preference 3 points scale. The result shows that a combined thermal discomfort percentage of about 68.86% (45.92% warm and 22.94% hot) of the students found the environment was not thermally satisfactory at a mean air velocity of 0.53m/s, air temperature of 35.38^oC, radiant temperature of 37.33^oC and relative humidity of 35.60%. The preference votes of the classes portray a clear preference of 62.30% of the pupils, requested for cooler environment at a mean air velocity of 0.53m/s, air temperature of 35.38^oC, radiant temperature of 37.33^oC and relative humidity of 35.60%. Consequently, the classroom environment is not thermally comfortable for the pupils. The research recommends that there is the inescapable need for further studies on the use of building materials, opening types and right orientation in construction that will bring down the temperature in the Hot Semiarid climatic zone of Nigeria that will ultimately enhance pupils learning environment.