Assessing indoor environmental quality of naturally ventilated classrooms in tropical climates

Abstract

Student performance is strongly influenced by indoor environmental quality, a relationship widely studied globally but less explored in tropical regions and India. This study develops an IEQ index for the tropical climates by evaluating five naturally ventilated Indian classrooms, integrating thermal comfort, indoor air quality, acoustic comfort, and visual comfort with unequal weightings. Using linear regression based on users’ subjective perceptions, the study results in weightings of 29.5% to thermal comfort, 7.8% to indoor air quality, 25.2% to acoustic comfort, and 34.3% to visual comfort. The resulting IEQ index provides a benchmark for the holistic assessment and improvement of naturally ventilated classroom environments in India’s warm and humid climate. Additionally, by prioritizing passive strategies for ventilation, lighting, and noise control, this framework can support the design of energy-efficient educational buildings, contributing to broader goals of sustainability and reduced operational energy use through enhanced indoor environmental quality.