A field study on adaptive thermal comfort in a naturally ventilated design studio class in the post-pandemic period

Abstract

Design studios are where design students spend most of their time learning theory and practices. For this reason, thermal comfort conditions in studios are crucial to provide a suitable environment for education. Especially in the post-pandemic period, thermal comfort conditions have become more critical in educational buildings. The present study focuses on the adaptive thermal comfort condition in an architectural design studio in the Mediterranean climate of Izmir/Turkey. The study aims to evaluate the comfort conditions of the students and determine the effect of mask use on thermal sensation in the post-pandemic period. For this purpose, air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity measurements were collected during the studio hours in the spring semester when the heating and cooling systems were not working. Additionally, a thermal sensation survey was conducted with 42 students. The results showed that the thermal comfort level was within the 90% acceptability limits according to the ASHRAE Standard-55. According to the survey results, the use of masks by the students did not have a significant effect on thermal perception.