Study of thermal comfort in some standard school buildings: A case of Madagascar island

This study focuses on thermal comfort in  some classroom school buildings of the Malagasy Ministry of National Education, located in the city of Diego-Suarez, characterized by a warm tropical climate throughout the year. This study was  carried out in December 2023, then between January and February 2024. The analysis is based on the adaptive approach, using questionnaires and taking measurements of thermal parameters via weather sensor. During study hours from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the morning and 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the afternoon, the questionnaires are completed at the same time as in-situ measurements are taken. In total, 223 questionnaires were completed by the occupants including (students and teachers), distributed in four classrooms of two different primary schools. The results reveal that the percentage of thermal acceptance inside the old school reaches 35%, compared to only 15% for the modern school. The majority of respondents believe that the air flow speed is more favorable in the old building, with a perception of comfort at 60%, compared to 40% for the modern building.