Students' Perception of Thermal Comfort Regarding Seat Selection in Lecture Room B.101 Department of Architecture, Diponegoro University, Semarang
Keywords:
Adaptive behaviour, Airflow distribution, Lecture room, Seating preference, Thermal comfortAbstract
Thermal comfort is a crucial factor influencing students’ concentration and behavior in lecture rooms, yet uneven temperature distribution and airflow often create discomfort that affects seating preferences. This study aims to examine the relationship between students’ thermal comfort perception and their seating choices in Lecture Room B.101 at the Architecture Department, Diponegoro University. A quantitative survey method was employed by distributing questionnaires to 26 respondents, consisting of closed-ended questions and one open-ended question, and the data were analyzed descriptively. The results indicate that most students are significantly affected by the direction and airflow from the air conditioner, leading them to avoid seats near the AC unit. Respondents generally prefer sitting at positions farther from the AC to achieve better thermal, humidity, and visual comfort toward the screen. These findings show that thermal perception plays an important role in students’ adaptive behavior in choosing their seats. In conclusion, a clear relationship exists between thermal comfort and seating preferences, highlighting the need for proper airflow management and spatial layout arrangement in lecture room design to support an optimal learning environment.
References
ASHRAE Standard 55-2017. 2017. “Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy.” ASHRAE: Atlanta, GA, USA.
Corgnati, Stefano Paolo, Marco Filippi, and Sara Viazzo. 2007. “Perception of the Thermal Environment in High School and University Classrooms: Subjective Preferences and Thermal Comfort.” Building and Environment 42 (2): 951–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.10.027.
Creswell, John W. 1994. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. SAGE Publications.
Guevara, Gabriel, Guillermo Soriano, and Isabel Mino-Rodriguez. 2021. “Thermal Comfort in University Classrooms: An Experimental Study in the Tropics.” Building and Environment 187 (January):107430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107430.
Izzati, Nurul, Sheikh Zaki, Hom Rijal, Jorge Rey, Aya Hagishima, and Nurizzatul Atikha. 2022. “Investigation of Thermal Adaptation and Development of an Adaptive Model under Various Cooling Temperature Settings for Students’ Activity Rooms in a University Building in Malaysia.” Buildings 13 (1): 36. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13010036.
Kyropoulou, M. 2023. “Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air Quality in Higher Education: A Case Study in Houston, TX, during Mid-Season.” Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2600 (10): 102022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2600/10/102022.
Lala, Betty, Solli Murtyas, and Aya Hagishima. 2022. “Indoor Thermal Comfort and Adaptive Thermal Behaviors of Students in Primary Schools Located in the Humid Subtropical Climate of India.” Sustainability 14 (12): 7072. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127072.
Niza, Iasmin Lourenço, Inaiele Mendes da Luz, and Evandro Eduardo Broday. 2023. “Thermal Comfort Assessment in University Classrooms: A Discriminant Analysis for Categorizing Individuals According to Gender and Thermal Preferences.” Atmosphere 14 (9): 1325. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14091325.
Rivel, Sinta, Modeste Kameni Nematchoua, F. E. Turcanu, Raminosoa Chrysostôme, R. S. Richard, R. Sandra Tiana, A. Aro-zo, N. C. Chereches, and S. V. Hudisteanu. 2025. “Thermal Comfort in Tropical School Buildings under Changing Climate Conditions.” https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7051131/v1.
Romero, Pilar, María Teresa Miranda, Rui Isidoro, José Ignacio Arranz, and Víctor Valero-Amaro. 2025. “Thermal Comfort and Sustainability in University Classrooms: A Study in Mediterranean Climate Zones.” Applied Sciences 15 (2): 694. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15020694.
Sativa, Sativa -, and Putri Salsa Adilline. 2021. “Evaluasi Kenyamanan Termal Ruang Kuliah IKIP PGRI Wates Kulon Progo DIY.” INERSIA Lnformasi Dan Ekspose Hasil Riset Teknik Sipil Dan Arsitektur 17 (2): 165–74. https://doi.org/10.21831/inersia.v17i2.46751.
Sun, Yongkai, Xi Luo, Xiaojun Liu, Fan Ji, and Ye Zhang. 2025. “Impact of Interactive Evolution of Heterogeneous Occupants’ Air-Conditioning Usage Behavior on Air-Conditioning Energy Consumption in University Office Buildings.” Energy and Buildings 331 (March):115378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115378.
Ting, Jason Zhi Cheng, Charlie Chin Voon Sia, Elaine Yee Lee Yeu, Ping Ping Chung, Saravana Kannan Thangavelu, and Annie Anak Joseph. 2025. “Correlation of Experimental Data and Simulation Models in Adaptive Thermal Comfort Analysis for University Classrooms.” Energy and Buildings 349 (December):116561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.116561.
Torriani, Giulia, Giulia Lamberti, Fabio Fantozzi, and Francesco Babich. 2023. “Exploring the Impact of Perceived Control on Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air Quality Perception in Schools.” Journal of Building Engineering 63 (January):105419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.105419.
Torriani, Giulia, Giulia Lamberti, Giacomo Salvadori, Fabio Fantozzi, and Francesco Babich. 2023. “Thermal Comfort and Adaptive Capacities: Differences among Students at Various School Stages.” Building and Environment 237 (June):110340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110340.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2026 Maheswari Laksita Laksmi Paramita, Eddy Prianto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms: (1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal; (2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal; (3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
ARCHIMANE Journal of Architecture and Human Experience is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
