Abstract
We conducted thermal comfort field surveys in female educational spaces in Qatar in the autumn and winter of 2018 and 2020 – 21 and collected 324 datasets. They contained all the four environmental measurements and simultaneous thermal responses of female university students dressed in traditional Islamic clothing consisting of headgears and full-body cloaks (abayas) (mean clothing: 1.21 clo). Exacerbating the occupant discomfort, classrooms are overcooled/overheated in autumn/winter, respectively. About 89.9% respondents had no access to indoor temperature control and 43.5% had no access to any environmental controls. We evaluated the mean indoor comfort temperature as 22.9 (3.1) ˚C. In 64.2% cases, it did not conform to the comfort zone in international standards. We noted significant seasonal differences in indoor environments. Air speed was zero most of the time. Only 53.8% felt comfortable thermal sensations, and 66% accepted the environments, as against 80% in the international standards. The predicted mean vote (PMV) was significantly inaccurate up to three scale points and in 86.4% cases PMV mis-predicted by half a scale point or more. Therefore, framing the narrative around user-controlled air movement and indoor controls is necessary, so that indoor temperature can be effectively increased in autumn and lowered in winter.
Reference30 articles.
1. 1. Al-ajmi, et al. (2008). Thermal insulation and clothing area factors of typical Arabian Gulf clothing ensembles for males and females: Measurements using thermal manikins. Applied Ergonomics, p. 39 (2008) 407-414.
2. 2. Alshaikh, A., Roaf, S. & Smith, R. (2008). What is the relationship betwen humidity and comfort at high temperatures? In search of new ways of looking at the issue. s.l., s.n.
3. 3. Anon., (2021). Weather Underground. https://www.wunderground.com/weather/qa/doha [Accessed 23/6/2021].
4. 4. ASHRAE. (2020). ANSI/ ASHRAE Standard 55-2020 Thermal environmental conditions for human occupancy, Atlanta: ASHRAE.
5. Analysis of the accuracy on PMV - PPD model using the ASHRAE Global Thermal Comfort Database II;Cheung;Building and Environment Volume 153,2019