Exploring the Indoor Thermal Comfort of Students at A University Campus Building in the Hot Arid Climate of Al Ain, UAE

Thermal comfort (TC) in classrooms is essential for a successful educational environment for both students and educators. Thermal discomfort is not commonly investigated in schools as most research and industry emphasis is placed on indoor air quality (IAQ). To this end, this paper aims at exploring the status of students' thermal comfort at a university campus building in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE). To Achieve the study objectives a survey was designed and distributed to students at a university campus building in Al Ain, UAE. The survey included questions about different thermal comfort parameters such as indoor air temperature, relative humidity and indoor air movement. The survey data was then analyzed and visualized to present the current thermal comfort status co and to conclude the possible causes of potential discomfort in the classroom environment. The results of this study indicated various levels of comfort among the participating students with higher levels of comfort observed in mornings. The results also indicated the need to improve the students' awareness about the use of temperature control (i.e., thermostat) to enhance their ability to adapt to different comfort levels.