Influence of Thermal Environment on College Students’ Learning Performance in Hot Overhead Spaces in China
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area and Weather Conditions
2.2. Measured Parameters and Instruments
2.3. Outdoor Thermal Comfort Index
2.4. Survey Questionnaire
2.5. Cognitive Test
2.6. Experimental Procedures
3. Results
3.1. Descriptive Statistics
3.2. Subjective Views of Factors Affecting Learning Performance
3.3. Symptoms of Fatigue
3.4. Thermal Response Analysis
3.4.1. Distribution of Thermal Sensation Vote
3.4.2. Thermal Satisfaction
3.4.3. Preference of Thermal Parameter
3.5. Correlation between MTSV Variation and Thermal Parameters
3.6. Thermal Stress Corresponding to Thermal Indices
3.7. Thermal Parameters and Thermal Acceptability
3.8. Differences in Learning Performance
3.9. Relationship between PET and Learning Performance
4. Discussion
4.1. Comparison of Thermal Comfort with Other Regions
4.2. Indoor Learning Performance
4.3. Suggestions for Renovation of Overhead Spaces
4.4. Limitations and Future Research
5. Conclusions
- Subjects would prioritize Ta and Va when choosing to study in the overhead; they were relatively insensitive to RH and Tmrt. Subjects were more likely to feel fatigued in thermal environments with higher Ta. Most subjects expressed the following: “My eyes are getting tired”.
- Subjects’ MTSV had no correlation with Ta, Va, RH, and Tmrt in Stage 1 and had a positive correlation with Ta and Tmrt in Stage 2. It was negatively correlated with RH and insignificantly correlated with Va in both stages. The neutral PET of the subjects was 25.5 °C, and the maximum acceptable PET was 30.2 °C.
- In neutral to slightly warm conditions, perception and short-term memory increased with PET by 2.5% and 1.1%, respectively; however, if the short-term memory test was more difficult, the relationship between the hot environment and learning performance was not significant, and when the environment was overheated, the learning performance declined as a whole, but the magnitude of the decline showed individual differences. In the attention-oriented test, learning performance decreased by 1% as PET increased from 30.4 °C to 36.8 °C, indicating that the thermal environment would have an effect on the attention of college students.
- As the temperature of the overhead floor changes daily, it is recommended that different types of studies be conducted at varying time periods. When the environment of the overhead floor is too hot, the attention of college students decreases, in which case it is recommended that students go indoors to study.
- Learning efficiency is affected by the thermal environment, and it is of great significance to make targeted improvements to the thermal environment of the elevated floor for the learning population. This should mainly be through the study of the perimeter of the overhead layer tree planting methods, tree species, ground materials, and appropriate height of the overhead layer.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Stage 1 | Stage 2 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minimum | Maximum | Average | Standard Deviation | Minimum | Maximum | Average | Standard Deviation | |
Air temperature, °C | 28.26 | 34.12 | 31.81 | 1.38 | 23.86 | 29.26 | 25.65 | 1.54 |
Relative humidity, % | 60.3 | 88.8 | 71.92 | 0.46 | 52.4 | 72.4 | 59.81 | 5.69 |
Globe temperature, °C | 28.22 | 34.72 | 32.1 | 1.47 | 24.19 | 31.69 | 27.51 | 1.6 |
Wind speed, m/s | 0 | 1.64 | 0.4 | 0.46 | 0.02 | 2.31 | 0.64 | 0.45 |
Mean radiation temperature, °C | 28.22 | 36.7 | 32.5 | 1.83 | 24.29 | 27.98 | 37.74 | 1.77 |
PET, °C | 30.36 | 36.75 | 33.79 | 1.3 | 22.13 | 31.22 | 25.62 | 1.92 |
Instrument | Type | Parameter | Measurement Range | Accuracy | Sampling Rate (s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thermal comfort level recorder | SSDZY-1 | Ta | −20.0–80.0 °C | ±0.3 °C | 60 |
RH | 0.01–99.9% | ±2% (10–90%) | 60 | ||
Tg | −20.0−80.0 °C | ±0.3 °C | 60 | ||
Va | 0.05–5 m/s | 5% ± 0.05 m/s | 60 |
Thermal Sensation | Thermal Comfort | Thermal Preference | Acceptability | Satisfaction |
---|---|---|---|---|
−3, Very cold | −1, Uncomfortable | −1, Cooler | −1, Unacceptable | −3, Very dissatisfied |
−2, Cold | 0, Neutral | 0, No change | 1, Acceptable | −2, Dissatisfied |
−1, Slightly cold | 1, Comfortable | +1, Warmer | −1, Slightly dissatisfied | |
0, Neutral | 0, Neutral | |||
1, Slightly hot | 1, Slightly satisfied | |||
2, Hot | 2, Satisfied | |||
3, Very hot | 3, Very Satisfied |
Sex | Number | Age in Years (SD) | Height in m (SD) | Weight in kg (SD) | Body Surface Area in m2 (SD) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Male | 219 | Mean | 21.57 (2.37) | 1.71 (0.0025) | 60.9 (37.96) | 1.67 (0.0062) |
Maximum | 24 | 183 | 85 | 2.05 | ||
Minimum | 18 | 160 | 50 | 1.46 | ||
Female | 281 | Mean | 21.32 (3.58) | 1.58 (0.0035) | 51.89 (25.28) | 1.48 (0.0042) |
Maximum | 24 | 1.67 | 65 | 1.70 | ||
Minimum | 18 | 1.50 | 43 | 1.31 |
Fatigue | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | |
---|---|---|---|
Total | 64.9 | 53.2 | |
mental fatigue (%) | I feel impatient | 6.4 | 6.0 |
I am uncertain | 19.3 | 12.4 | |
I can’t concentrate | 23.3 | 13.9 | |
Total | 49.0 | 32.3 | |
drowsiness and dullness (%) | My eyes are getting tired | 34.2 | 25.9 |
I can’t stop yawning | 15.4 | 10.4 | |
I feel like lying down | 23.8 | 11.4 | |
Total | 73.3 | 47.8 | |
lack of physical integration (%) | I have a headache | 6.4 | 3.5 |
My eyes are twitching | 8.4 | 2.5 | |
My shoulder muscles are tense | 10.4 | 6.0 | |
My limbs are shaking | 1.5 | 0.5 | |
I feel unwell | 4.0 | 2.5 | |
My back hurts | 4.0 | 2.5 | |
I feel giddy | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Total | 35.7 | 18.4 |
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Wang, W.; Zhao, Y.; Yang, J.; Du, M.; Luo, X.; Zhong, Z.; Huang, B. Influence of Thermal Environment on College Students’ Learning Performance in Hot Overhead Spaces in China. Buildings 2024, 14, 3225. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14103225
Wang W, Zhao Y, Yang J, Du M, Luo X, Zhong Z, Huang B. Influence of Thermal Environment on College Students’ Learning Performance in Hot Overhead Spaces in China. Buildings. 2024; 14(10):3225. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14103225
Chicago/Turabian StyleWang, Wanying, Yang Zhao, Jiahao Yang, Meng Du, Xinyi Luo, Ziyu Zhong, and Bixue Huang. 2024. "Influence of Thermal Environment on College Students’ Learning Performance in Hot Overhead Spaces in China" Buildings 14, no. 10: 3225. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14103225