The empirical analysis model on identifying sick building syndrome in hot humid tropical buildings

Abstract

A tropical hot humid climate provides high humidity that influences the occupant’s comfort. This study highlights a comparison of physical measurements and perceptions related to thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and sick building syndrome (SBS) in tropical humid climate buildings. The research method used ASHRAE 2017 and analysis using SPSS 24 by two analytical models, i.e., Model 1 and Model 2. The Model 1 included measurement data of independent variables T, RH, V, and CO₂, and SBS dependent variable, while the Model 2 used perception data of independent variables T, RH, V, and QA, and SBS dependent variable. The study found the conditions were unsuitable with ASHRAE 2017, however, the new SBS index model for the hot-humid tropic has been established. The average temperature was 29.4-31.3ᵒC, the perception of 'neutral' was responded by 50.6% of all respondents, 36.7% stated 'warm' and 7.6% stated 'hot'. The average relative humidity was between 77-82.4%, but about 50.6% of respondents declared 'neutral', only 8.9% declared ‘slightly damp’, and 2.5% stated ‘damp’. The test results showed Model 2 performed the cyclical effect on SBS, in contrast, Model 1 had no significant effect on SBS because of the varied adaptation of occupants.