How Do Natural Ventilation Strategies Affect Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings? A Comparative Analysis in the Mediterranean Climate
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of indoor air quality in buildings for the well-being of their occupants. In long-term occupancy buildings such as schools, where environmental conditions also impact academic performance, this importance was heightened. Despite the significant change...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6606 |
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| author | Rocío Escandón Simone Ferrari Riccardo Cardelli Teresa Blázquez Rafael Suárez |
| author_facet | Rocío Escandón Simone Ferrari Riccardo Cardelli Teresa Blázquez Rafael Suárez |
| author_sort | Rocío Escandón |
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| description | The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of indoor air quality in buildings for the well-being of their occupants. In long-term occupancy buildings such as schools, where environmental conditions also impact academic performance, this importance was heightened. Despite the significant changes in ventilation practices resulting from the pandemic, recommendations have varied across different countries. This study aimed to provide a comparative analysis of the environmental conditions and air quality in classrooms in southern Spain and northern Italy (representative Mediterranean locations with different post-pandemic heating and natural ventilation approaches). Data measured on-site during periods with similar outdoor conditions were analysed to ascertain how ventilation strategies influence thermal comfort and indoor air quality. According to the results, during mild periods, high-intensity ventilation ensures excellent indoor air quality results based on CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations, without compromising thermal comfort. Nevertheless, ventilation rates should be controlled in more adverse climate conditions to avoid negative effects on thermal comfort. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e7cfa48db088438c9da429b863a86faf |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-e7cfa48db088438c9da429b863a86faf2025-08-20T03:32:27ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-06-011512660610.3390/app15126606How Do Natural Ventilation Strategies Affect Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings? A Comparative Analysis in the Mediterranean ClimateRocío Escandón0Simone Ferrari1Riccardo Cardelli2Teresa Blázquez3Rafael Suárez4Instituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. de Reina Mercedes 2, 41012 Sevilla, SpainDepartment of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC), Politecnico di Milano, Via G. Ponzio 31, 10133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC), Politecnico di Milano, Via G. Ponzio 31, 10133 Milano, ItalyInstituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. de Reina Mercedes 2, 41012 Sevilla, SpainInstituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. de Reina Mercedes 2, 41012 Sevilla, SpainThe COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of indoor air quality in buildings for the well-being of their occupants. In long-term occupancy buildings such as schools, where environmental conditions also impact academic performance, this importance was heightened. Despite the significant changes in ventilation practices resulting from the pandemic, recommendations have varied across different countries. This study aimed to provide a comparative analysis of the environmental conditions and air quality in classrooms in southern Spain and northern Italy (representative Mediterranean locations with different post-pandemic heating and natural ventilation approaches). Data measured on-site during periods with similar outdoor conditions were analysed to ascertain how ventilation strategies influence thermal comfort and indoor air quality. According to the results, during mild periods, high-intensity ventilation ensures excellent indoor air quality results based on CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations, without compromising thermal comfort. Nevertheless, ventilation rates should be controlled in more adverse climate conditions to avoid negative effects on thermal comfort.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6606adaptive thermal comfortindoor air qualitynatural ventilation rateon-site monitoringMediterranean climate |
| spellingShingle | Rocío Escandón Simone Ferrari Riccardo Cardelli Teresa Blázquez Rafael Suárez How Do Natural Ventilation Strategies Affect Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings? A Comparative Analysis in the Mediterranean Climate Applied Sciences adaptive thermal comfort indoor air quality natural ventilation rate on-site monitoring Mediterranean climate |
| title | How Do Natural Ventilation Strategies Affect Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings? A Comparative Analysis in the Mediterranean Climate |
| title_full | How Do Natural Ventilation Strategies Affect Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings? A Comparative Analysis in the Mediterranean Climate |
| title_fullStr | How Do Natural Ventilation Strategies Affect Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings? A Comparative Analysis in the Mediterranean Climate |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Do Natural Ventilation Strategies Affect Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings? A Comparative Analysis in the Mediterranean Climate |
| title_short | How Do Natural Ventilation Strategies Affect Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings? A Comparative Analysis in the Mediterranean Climate |
| title_sort | how do natural ventilation strategies affect thermal comfort in educational buildings a comparative analysis in the mediterranean climate |
| topic | adaptive thermal comfort indoor air quality natural ventilation rate on-site monitoring Mediterranean climate |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6606 |
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