Thermal comfort in air-conditioned learning environment

Abstract

This paper appraises the thermal comfort condition of in air conditioned learning environment of the new learning campus in Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam. The physical measurement and survey questionnaires have been thoroughly measured among the occupants (235 respondents) in four air conditioned classrooms along with four lecture theatres. The result shows relative humidity and air velocity are within the recommended limit while operative temperature for both classrooms and lecture theatres were below recommended limit. The calculated Prediction Mean Vote (PMV) — Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD) indices computed merely 29% has shown dissatisfaction towards learning environments. In addition, computed Thermal Sensation Vote (TSV) for classroom divulges that people remarked the learning environment for classroom and lecture theatre to be ‘slightly cool’. However, the mean value of thermal comfort based on Predictive Mean Vote (PMV) for classroom was −0.05, which indicate ‘neutral’ condition, whereas PMV value for lecture theatres was −0.62 which is ‘slightly cool’. Therefore, those findings show calculated thermal states have not necessarily correlate to occupant's desired thermal state.