Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 13(3A), pp. 2711 - 2726
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.131337
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Assessment of Indoor Thermal Conditions in High Schools in a Hot and Dry Climate: A Case Study in Muscat, Oman

Mutaib I. Alsaadi ¹, Sharifah Fairuz Syed Fadzil ², Najib T. Al-Ashwal ^3,*, Aasem Alabdullatief ⁴, Ahmed M. Alhzmi ^5
1 College of Engineering and Technology, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Oman
² School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
³ Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia
⁴ Department of Architecture and Building Sciences, College of Architecture and Planning, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
⁵ Department of Architecture, College of Architecture and Planning, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

A comfortable indoor thermal environment is crucial in classrooms, because poor indoor thermal conditions can adversely affect students' cognitive performance and lead to lower academic achievement. This study aims to evaluate indoor thermal conditions in typical schools in Muscat, Oman, characterized by hot and dry climate during summer and winter. This study collected fieldwork data using suitable instruments to measure different climate components, including indoor air temperature and relative humidity. The results showed that outdoor air temperature significantly influenced indoor air temperature, with the indoor temperature being lower than the outdoor temperature during the day in winter and higher than the outdoor temperature in the evening during summer. Despite daily variations in outdoor temperature, there were only minor changes in the daily range of indoor temperature. Effective insulation, modifying building envelope and ventilation systems, and regularly monitoring indoor air quality can help provide a comfortable indoor thermal environment, supporting student academic performance and well-being. Future research can explore the effectiveness of different strategies and technologies in improving indoor thermal conditions in schools.

KEYWORDS
Hot and Dry Climate, Indoor Temperature, Education, Building Envelope, Classrooms

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Mutaib I. Alsaadi , Sharifah Fairuz Syed Fadzil , Najib T. Al-Ashwal , Aasem Alabdullatief , Ahmed M. Alhzmi , "Assessment of Indoor Thermal Conditions in High Schools in a Hot and Dry Climate: A Case Study in Muscat, Oman," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 13, No. 3A, pp. 2711 - 2726, 2025. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.131337.

(b). APA Format:
Mutaib I. Alsaadi , Sharifah Fairuz Syed Fadzil , Najib T. Al-Ashwal , Aasem Alabdullatief , Ahmed M. Alhzmi (2025). Assessment of Indoor Thermal Conditions in High Schools in a Hot and Dry Climate: A Case Study in Muscat, Oman. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 13(3A), 2711 - 2726. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.131337.