Assessing Thermal Comfort in the Post-Earthquake Housing Prototype: A Case Study of Lar New Town, Iran

Following the Lar earthquake in ۱۹۶۰, a fast and semi-prefabricated housing prototype was constructed in the southern part of the city, serving as a residence or workplace for the local population. This research focuses on gathering environmental data from four prototype samples located in the northern and southern areas of Lar City during July, August, and September ۲۰۲۲. Street widths surrounding these samples range from ۳۰ to ۱۲ meters, and measurements were taken at noon and midnight in indoor environments without mechanical ventilation, utilizing the MASTECH MS۶۲۵۲B device. The collected data is compared with responses from a questionnaire completed by ۱۶ subjects (۸ men and ۸ women) and thermal comfort simulations conducted using the Honeybee and Ladybug plugins. The primary objectives of this research are to determine the temperature differences between the interiors and exteriors of the four housing prototypes during the summer season, evaluate thermal comfort, assess satisfaction with temperature, and investigate the sources of discomfort among the residents. The aim is to comprehensively assess the initial housing prototype after the earthquake and compare it with the current conditions in terms of thermal comfort by measuring and comparing dry temperature, humidity, and airflow in indoor and outdoor spaces. The results of the environmental measurements reveal that the air temperature is lower in the southern housing prototypes compared to the northern ones. Furthermore, a comparison of the questionnaire and simulation results demonstrates that Fanger's model (predicted mean vote), which forms the basis of the ISO ۷۷۳۰ standard, cannot be directly applied to predict overall thermal comfort in old buildings with natural ventilation. Computer simulations using Fanger's model indicate that most habitable spaces in the initial housing prototype are slightly warm, whereas the questionnaire responses reveal a high percentage of residents experiencing very hot thermal sensations and expressing dissatisfaction.