Thermal Comfort in Classrooms in NSW Australia: Learning from International Practice: A Systematised Review

Josephine Vaughan (), Salah Alghamdi and Waiching Tang
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Josephine Vaughan: School of Architecture and the Built Environment, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2300, Australia
Salah Alghamdi: Department of Building Engineering, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31451, Saudi Arabia
Waiching Tang: School of Architecture and the Built Environment, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2300, Australia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-29

Abstract: International thermal comfort requirements, such as ASHRAE standards, are used for classroom design in many countries, such as Australia, despite these standards serving thermal preferences for adult office workers in the USA or Europe. Subjected to mismatched thermal guidelines, students can be thermally uncomfortable in classrooms that are not correctly designed for their needs, and education buildings may consume significant energy on heating and cooling that is not appropriate to the location. The objective of this study is to critically examine the appropriateness of ASHRAE thermal comfort standards for classrooms in climates equivalent to New South Wales, Australia. Through a systematised literature review, this paper presents findings in four key areas: the relationship between thermal comfort and (i) local climate areas, (ii) classroom building types, (iii) students’ thermal comfort preferences and (iv) air conditioning. The research finds that international thermal comfort standards do not always provide suitable guidance for classrooms in diverse climate zones. The research identifies that reliance on mechanical heating and cooling can fail to meet students’ thermal comfort needs and undermines global environmental sustainability goals. This paper recommends localised thermal comfort benchmarks tailored to NSW’s climatic and educational contexts, contributing to improved classroom design, student wellbeing and energy-efficient learning environments.

Keywords: students; classrooms; ASHRAE; education quality; energy efficiency; air conditioning; climate zones; air quality; thermal comfort; sustainable building (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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