Adaptation and comparative study of thermal comfort in naturally ventilated classrooms and buildings in the wet tropical zones

This paper presents the results of a study relating to thermal comfort in 28 buildings and schools, in the coastal and central areas of Cameroon. This research was conducted during the dry and rainy seasons, employing the adaptive approach, in naturally ventilated buildings, in accordance with ASHRAE 55/2004, ISO 7730 and ISO 10551. Wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity and CO2 levels were measured, and 2650 questionnaires were distributed simultaneously. The results revealed that 76.7% of the voters in Douala found the results environmentally acceptable, as against 82.6% in Yaoundé. On average, 74.6% of the respondents found that these were within the comfort range, while 25.3% were neutral. When the local thermal comfort factor was analysed, it was found that the percentage of dissatisfied persons exceeded 40% in both cities, Yaoundé in particular, due to its higher average temperature.