| Author: | He, Jianing |
| Title: | A study of subjective and objective factors affecting human comfort in university classrooms |
| Advisors: | Mak, Cheuk-ming (BSE) |
| Degree: | M.Eng. |
| Year: | 2019 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Human comfort College buildings Classrooms |
| Department: | Department of Building Services Engineering |
| Pages: | xi, 69 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Human comfort in university classrooms is critical to investigate because indoor environmental quality (IEQ) can influence students significantly in satisfaction, productivity and health so this dissertation aims to study the subjective and objective factors affecting human comfort in university classrooms. Hence, the importance weights of the subjective factors and human comfort aspects, the human comfort levels in the university classrooms, and the correlations between the objective factors and human comfort aspects are the objectives of the present study. On the basis of literature review, a structure of human comfort in university classroom was proposed. A questionnaire survey was conducted to calculate the importance weightings of the subjective factors and human comfort aspects based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. The other questionnaire was developed by using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) and the human comfort levels in the classrooms were investigated based on the data obtained from the two surveys. Physical measurements were conducted simultaneously with the second questionnaire survey and the relationships between the objective factors and human comfort aspects were analysed based on the parameter data and the regression analysis method. It was found that the combined aspect of thermal comfort and satisfaction with indoor air quality (IAQ) has the greatest impacts on overall environmental satisfaction, followed by acoustic comfort and luminous comfort. Besides, thermal comfort and satisfaction with IAQ are influenced most significantly by odour and freshness, followed by hotness or coldness, wetness sensation and air movement. Luminous comfort is affected most significantly by lighting uniformity, followed by amount of discomfort glare and brightness. Moreover, the overall satisfaction level of the classrooms was 'moderate' and the physical parameters measured in the classrooms were basically within the acceptable ranges. Finally, two models were established to represent the correlations between the two human comfort aspects and the corresponding objective factors, which can serve as an evaluation model for predicting students' scores and levels with thermal comfort and satisfaction with IAQ, and luminous comfort. Besides, the models can help universities to manage and improve the IEQ of classrooms in proper ways. The importance weightings of human comfort aspects and their subjective factors, the FCE-based evaluation models, satisfaction prediction models, as well as the research methods can be applied to other university classrooms. However, it is necessary to study the subjective and objective factors of acoustic comfort and their relationships and subsequently calculate the overall environmental satisfaction score and level. Additionally, further studies are needed to be carried out with larger sample size and a wider range of physical environmental parameters to obtain more representative, accurate andprecise results. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 991022370853703411.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.92 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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