Analysis of the Perceived Thermal Comfort in a Portuguese Secondary School: Methodology and Results

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology to assess the thermal environment in non-university classrooms, using the example of the results obtained from a multipurpose classroom of a Portuguese secondary school during a week of November. According to the defined protocol, both hygrothermal parameter values and thermal assessments were obtained and used for the calculation of both static and adaptive thermal comfort indicators, including Matias’ Portuguese adaptive comfort indicator. Occupants perceived a neutral thermal environment (Thermal Sensation Vote, TSV, of -0.03), while their thermal preference was a warmer environment (Thermal Preference Vote, TPV, of +0.64). Female occupants tended to demand a warmer environment during this study, despite their thermal perception was similar to male occupants. Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) was lower than TSV in 0.35 points, so it underestimates occupants’ real thermal perception. When occupants’ acceptance vote are compared with Adaptive indicators, Matias’ obtains similar acceptance values (80 %) than the occupants’ assessments (85 %), while ASHRAE indicator shows lower values (27 %). In conclusion, the exposed methodology allows to characterise the thermal comfort level of Iberian non-university classrooms, so further investigation is required.