Comparative study of thermal comfort and adaptive actions for modern and traditional multi-storey naturally ventilated hostel buildings during monsoon season in India

The prime objective of the hostel buildings is to provide an adequate thermal environment to the students for their good health and learning performance. However, a few studies have been reported so far in such buildings around the world. This paper reports the findings of a questionnaire based thermal comfort study in six naturally ventilated hostel buildings located in Jalandhar city, lies in composite climate of India, during the monsoon season (August-September 2018). The study was carried out in two newly constructed (aged less than 5 years) and four traditional (aged more than 25 years) multi-storey naturally ventilated (NV) hostel buildings. During the study, a total of 945 completely filled questionnaires from 470 occupants were collected. About 80% and 75% of subjects voted within central three categories of ASHRAE thermal sensation scale in traditional and modern NV hostel buildings, respectively. Results from the probit analysis revealed that 80% of subjects voted within +/- 1 TSV when indoor operative temperature ranged between 27.2 and 31 degrees C. The mean indoor comfort temperature as calculated by Griffiths method is 29.9 degrees C (sd(+/-sigma) = 2.16). To restore comfort primary adaptive action of occupants was found to be switching on the fans followed by the opening of external doors and windows.