EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF VENTILATION STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY THE NEW BEDOK HAWKER CENTRE

Abstract

With 20 more hawker centres expected to be constructed by 2027 and increasing renewal projects ushered in by the government’s initiative of rejuvenating mature estates, it serves as a considerable impetus to critically investigate the thermal comfort conditions of the hawker centre. Good practices and viable solutions could be explored to enhance the patrons’ overall experience. To ensure that the thermal setting in the hawker centre is satisfactory for patrons all year round, a comparative study of thermal comfort conditions was conducted between hotter and cooler periods of Singapore at Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre to enhance the validity of this study. The reconciliation of objective and subjective measurements was carried out to ensure comprehensiveness and accuracy in the interpretation of thermal comfort conditions delivered by ventilation strategies of Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre in hotter and cooler periods of Singapore. Analysis of objective data showed that the environmental profile of sampling points fell out of the recommended comfort zone, according to international standards. However, subjective assessments voted high percentage of acceptability for the thermal conditions in both hotter and cooler periods. This is due to acclimatization resulting from occupants having already adapted to the hot and humid climate of Singapore. This is coherent with the regression analysis where thermal neutrality was obtained at 32.5°C, at a higher operative temperature in September, further proving the adaptive approach theory. In totality, the ventilation strategies are able to present a satisfactory level of thermal comfort conditions as observed from the high occupant satisfaction votes. This proves that ventilation strategies adopted in the hawker centre are effective and suitable in both periods in the hawker centre despite varying weather conditions.