Field study on thermal comfort in a UK primary school

Paper in proceeding, 2012

This paper presents findings from a field survey in a naturally ventilated primary school building in Southampton, UK. The study included thermal comfort surveys and simultaneous measurements of indoor environmental variables. Approximately 230 pupils aged 7-11 in all 8 classrooms of the school were surveyed in repeated survey runs outside the heating season, from April to July 2011. In total 1314 responses were gathered. The survey involved questions on the thermal sensation and preference of the pupils. This paper investigates the children’s thermal sensation trends, their perception of overall comfort and tiredness. Furthermore, it compares the survey results to predictions achieved with current adult-based comfort standards, namely ISO 7730 and EN 15251. The results suggest that children have a different thermal perception than adults. Possible explanations are discussed in relation to the particularities and specific character of school environments.