Field assessment of thermal comfort and mixed-mode operation in a mediterranean university dormitory
FRONTIERS IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT, vol.12, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 12
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.3389/fbuil.2026.1811445
- Journal Name: FRONTIERS IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT
- Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, INSPEC, Directory of Open Access Journals
- Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection
- Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Thermal comfort in student housing affects wellbeing and cooling energy, yet evidence from Mediterranean dormitories is scarce. This field study benchmarks thermal sensation votes from a Northern Cyprus student housing against adaptive comfort criteria in ASHRAE 55 and EN 16798-1. A mixed-method survey captured TSVs, thermal preference, and operational states; outdoor temperature and relative humidity were recorded as contextual proxies. Summer TSVs were modelled via linear regression (R 2 = 0.664). Air-conditioning operation strongly reduced TSVs (beta = -4.48, 95% CI -6.95 to -2.00; p = 0.002), while outdoor temperature was non-significant (beta = -0.009; p = 0.874); humidity was borderline (beta = -0.074; p = 0.051). The summer TSV distribution was slightly cool (mean -0.30; median -0.50). At a prevailing mean outdoor temperature of 23.3 degrees C, adaptive neutral temperatures were 25.0 degrees C (ASHRAE 55) and 26.5 degrees C (EN 16798-1). Operational control dominated short-term comfort, representing mixed-mode strategies and adaptive benchmarking for Mediterranean student housing.