Exploring Thermal Comfort in Campus Co-Working Spaces: SGLC UGM

Abstract

Thermal comfort is essential in designing learning and working environments, particularly in tropical regions such as Indonesia. This study analyzes thermal comfort in three naturally ventilated co-working spaces at the Smart Green Learning Center (SGLC), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), a green-certified campus building. A confirmatory approach was applied by comparing physical measurements of air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, and mean radiant temperature (MRT) with user perceptions obtained through questionnaires using the Thermal Sensation Vote (TSV) and comfort vote. The results reveal a mismatch between Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) predictions and TSV responses: while PMV values exceeded the ASHRAE comfort threshold, most respondents reported neutral to slightly warm sensations, with 64–96% indicating comfort. The findings underscore the need for an adaptive approach and the development of local, data-driven thermal comfort standards that consider the context of climate, culture, and user characteristics in tropical regions.