Study of occupant behaviour to improve thermal comfort conditions by arranging furniture in student hostel rooms

•Spatial adaptation is investigated in a room having multiple activities.•Airflow affects furniture layout in non-uniform thermal environments.•Factors affecting furniture layout in a hostel room are highlighted. Research on thermal comfort has revealed various adaptive behaviours in a hostel room, such as changing clothing, use of windows, doors, and ceiling fans. Hostel rooms are used for various activities and are typically furnished with a wardrobe, bed, study table, and chair. Recent studies indicate that ceiling fan fixed at the centre of the room may not provide adequate air velocity for different activities occurring in different parts of a room. Although students generally arrange furniture based on their preferences and room geometry, the influence of fan-induced air on furniture layout to improve thermal comfort is yet to be established. In this context, this study investigates spatial adaptation and identifies the factors affecting furniture layout preferences in hostel rooms. In a yearlong study, patterns of furniture layout were observed in twenty-one naturally ventilated hostel buildings to find their relationship with environmental and non-environmental factors. A total of 1665 observation data was collected from single, double, and triple occupancy rooms. Influence of various factors on arranging the furniture was identified through a questionnaire survey. Throughout the survey, outdoor temperature varied between 23 and 41 °C and outdoor relative humidity varied between 32.3 % and 97.5 %. The spatial arrangement of furniture was evaluated against fan location. Results indicate that fan location and indoor temperature significantly influence the furniture arrangement. A logistic regression equation was developed to evaluate the trigger temperature when students began moving furniture towards ceiling fan. In a single occupancy room, above 34.2 °C, the probability of moving the bed towards the fan was found to be maximum. In single and double occupancy rooms, students move the bed near the ceiling fan predominantly during night-time to get sufficient air movement. A cautious design of furniture layout and adding a personalised fan for various activities may improve the thermal comfort in hostel rooms. [Display omitted]