article · FUDMA Journal of Sciences
Thermal discomfort presents an ongoing challenge in Nigerian secondary healthcare facilities, yet empirical evidence has remained limited. An investigation across six public hospitals in Kwara State examined the impacts of local climate and architectural configurations on indoor conditions. Using a decade of climatic data, physical environmental measurements, and responses from 305 occupants, facilities were categorised into hot-humid, hot-dry, and warm-comfort transition micro-climates. Open wards and natural ventilation predominated across the sites. During the harmattan period, afternoon indoor temperatures averaged 31.4 degrees Celsius, exceeding standard comfort limits by 5.6 degrees Celsius for occupants lacking functional window controls. Statistical analyses showed that comfort satisfaction did not differ significantly between facilities, demonstrating common design and operational factors. Resolving these challenges requires targeted, climate-responsive design frameworks calibrated to local zones alongside revised national standards.
Patients and healthcare workers in regional hospitals frequently endure severe indoor heat that compromises recovery and working conditions. By documenting indoor temperatures and occupant comfort across distinct climatic zones, this work highlights where natural ventilation fails. The findings provide the necessary evidence for public health authorities and building regulators to mandate performance-based thermal standards and targeted architectural interventions in public healthcare infrastructure.
The findings can inform the development of climate-responsive architectural frameworks, retrofit packages, and natural ventilation systems for tropical healthcare infrastructure. Relevant users include hospital engineering teams, public works departments, and architectural consultancies designing healthcare facilities in comparable micro-climates. The research represents an applied diagnostic study, providing baseline operational data that can support the creation of revised building codes and passive cooling guidelines rather than an immediate commercial product.
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Thermal discomfort is persistent yet under-documented in Nigerian secondary hospitals. These facilities serve the largest cross-section of the population but lack systematic empirical evidence. This study investigates how outdoor climate and ward building configuration determine indoor thermal comfort across six government-owned hospitals in Kwara State. A mixed-methods design integrated ten years of climatic data with in-situ measurements of temperature, humidity, and air velocity alongside 305 user questionnaires. Mahoney table analysis classified the six hospitals into three micro-climatic zones: hot-humid (Sobi, Centre Igboro), hot-dry (Jebba), and warm-comfort transition (Omu-Aran, Offa, Share). Open wards constituted the largest ward type (48.2%). Natural ventilation served 56.4% of ward spaces. Afternoon operative temperatures averaged 31.4°C during the harmattan period, exceeding the adaptive comfort boundary of 31.8°C for spaces with functional window control. Among occupants without operable windows (48.9% of respondents), afternoon temperatures exceeded the prescriptive ASHRAE limit of 26°C by 5.6°C. Chi-square analysis found no statistically significant association between ward layout and ventilation type (χ²(9) = 14.725, p = 0.099). One-way ANOVA confirmed no statistically significant difference in comfort satisfaction across hospitals (F(5,299) = 1.49, p = 0.193, η² = 0.024), indicating shared design or operational characteristics rather than facility-specific deficiencies. Effective remediation requires a climate-responsive design framework calibrated to the three identified zones and revision of national standards to mandate performance-based thermal comfort outcomes.
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DOI: 10.33003/fjs-2026-1014-5187
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