EFFECTS OF BIOCLIMATIC LANDSCAPE ON THE PERCEIVED THERMAL COMFORT OF NUS STUDENTS IN SINGAPORE LIBRARIES

Abstract

Thermal comfort is vital in hot-humid countries like Singapore, where weather can hamper activities like studying. Thermal comfort is important for users' comfort and well-being, and achieving ideal conditions is crucial for academic success. The introduction of bioclimatic feature design has been adopted as an alternative way to provide thermal comfort to building occupants. Hence, this research paper is focused on the investigation of effects of bioclimatic landscape and perceived thermal comfort in Singapore libraries. The purpose of this study is to provide insights into the effects of bioclimatic landscape in educational buildings, i.e., libraries, on its occupants (students) perceived thermal comfort. The study evaluated the perceived thermal comfort conditions in the National Library (NLB) and NUS Central Library (CLB) and explored ways to ensure occupant satisfaction. Results showed that NLB performed better than CLB in all scales of measurements, indicating that bioclimatic landscape associated with temperature, humidity, and air movement, and a correlation was formed between perceived thermal comfort and bioclimatic landscape. Air temperature and relative humidity were found to have a "very strong" correlation, while air movement had a "strong" correlation. The study demonstrates that incorporating bioclimatic landscape design had significant effect on perceived thermal comfort and provides recommendations for an improved thermal comfort experience that creates an ideal study environment. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the relationship between bioclimatic features and thermal comfort in library environments and has implications for future library design and planning, especially in hot-humid climates.