Regulating Indoor Comfortable Temperature Limits for Sustainable Architectural Design in Mediterranean Climates

This study investigates sustainable living through minimizing environment impact, including energy efficiency, while supporting the well-being and thermal comfort in Mediterranean dwellings, specifically in Cyprus. This research highlights the need to define indoor temperature ranges that promote energy efficiency and occupants’ thermal comfort, considering the topographic variation in the Mediterranean climate. This study aims to promote sustainable building design by improving the occupants’ well-being in Mediterranean climates. This study uses the predicted mean votes index to determine thermal comfort limits by analyzing acceptable temperature ranges in 150 residences across different topographic areas of Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus, in summer and winter. The findings indicate that optimal interior air temperatures in the study area are 28.9 °C for summer and 20.2 °C for winter. Topographic variations highlight the importance of land elevation and microclimate differences in achieving suitable indoor thermal temperature conditions. The acceptable interior temperature range during summer in the mountainous region is wider (between 24.1 °C and 28.9 °C), while the winter range is broader in the coastal region (20.2 °C to 23 °C). This study provides novel region-specific indoor temperature guidelines for Mediterranean climates, emphasizing topographic differences and their influence on thermal comfort. The guidelines assist designers and policymakers in enhancing sustainable design in Mediterranean climates.