Assessing Classroom Thermal Comfort in Jordanian Schools Through Post-Occupancy Evaluation and Annual Building Simulation

Classroom thermal conditions affect students’ comfort and learning, yet evidence linking students’ thermal perceptions to classroom characteristics and year-round building performance remains limited in Jordan. This study assessed classroom thermal comfort in eight Jordanian schools and 30 classrooms using complementary student-reported post-occupancy evaluation (POE) and annual building simulation. It examined the student, school, and classroom characteristics associated with perceived thermal comfort. 502 students completed paper-based questionnaires, and researchers collected 80.1% of responses in December. Exploratory researcher-defined weighted indices, using a heuristic weighting scheme rather than empirically derived or externally validated coefficients, were employed to assess temperature, air movement, humidity, and overall subjective thermal comfort. Annual simulations were conducted in DesignBuilder/EnergyPlus under standardized passive (no-HVAC) conditions, whereas surveys reflected actual occupied conditions that may have included heating or cooling. The mean overall subjective thermal comfort index was 0.631, with air movement recording the lowest domain score (0.593). Perceived comfort varied with several student, school, and classroom characteristics, while annual simulations indicated predominantly cold winter conditions and summer overheating. Survey- and simulation-based comfort classifications showed 73.3% agreement under the primary study-defined criteria; sensitivity analysis using alternative survey-classification thresholds yielded agreement ranging from 53.3% to 80.0%, while agreement increased to 81.5% after excluding three potentially HVAC-influenced mismatched classrooms. By identifying characteristics associated with students’ thermal comfort and extending the assessment across the full climatic year, the findings provide evidence that can inform thermally responsive school design and support the preliminary identification of classrooms and potential retrofit options requiring further assessment.