Evaluation of thermal comfort in library buildings in the tropical climate of Ghana: (Case Study of the Balme Library in the University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana)

Adaptive thermal comfort plays a crucial role in addressing climate change concerns, especially in Ghana. In this hot and humid region, air-conditioners are identified as one of the main culprits behind the rising trend in electricity demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, due to the limited prediction accuracy of Fanger's PMV model, there is a need to evaluate adaptive thermal comfort to develop a reliable model for tropical regions. This study evaluates the adaptive thermal comfort in the Balme Library in Accra, Ghana, in both naturally ventilated (NV) and air-conditioned (AC) modes. The presented adaptive model in this study is compared with the current international standards, such as ASHRAE-55 and CEN standards. Based on the linear regression of mean sensation votes (MTSV) and predicted mean votes (PMV) as a function of operative temperature, while the neutral temperature of PMV is 27.8 °C, the linear regression method in NV mode predicts a neutral temperature of 30.3 °C. Consequently, the PMV prediction is 2.5 °C lower than that of the linear regression method. Meanwhile, the current international standards underestimate the ranges of thermal preferences among building occupants, as this proposed model in this study reveals higher slopes in the linear regression model.