Investigation of school building microclimate using advanced energy equipment: Case study

Buildings are responsible of major energy consumption globally. In addition, they are linked to thermal comfort. The need to provide comfort becomes more crucial in schools as they are the place where students learn, and develop their skills. This research aims to investigate the energy responsiveness of new and traditional school building design, where major variation in form, amount of external walls and glazing are different. The research focused on indoor microclimate condition of selected schools in the city of Jeddah where the climate is hot and humid using advanced tools for monitoring. The research uses advanced energy equipment to measure several aspects such as floor temperature, roof temperature, globe temperature and other factors which can lead to predictable thermal comfort of users. The findings suggest that a larger area of glazing shielded from sunlight has a greater influence on both indoor condition and general thermal sensation. The finding also suggests that the glazing ratio is a major contributor on indoor thermal pattern which can result in an increase in temperature profile between from $7-10^{\circ}C$. The findings of this research can assist in the improvement in the design of the prototype school building in hot and humid climate.