Assessing Thermal Comfort and Cooling Challenges for Women in Malaysian Households

Access to adequate cooling is essential for health, well-being, and livelihoods. However, in Malaysia, there remains a significant gap in understanding cooling access and thermal comfort, particularly among women home-based workers and women who spend the majority of their time at home. Despite global recognition of cooling disparities, limited research has focused on this demographic. Addressing this gap is vital for promoting gender equality and enhancing quality of life for women, especially in rural and lower-income settings. This study investigates thermal comfort and access to cooling in villages across five Malaysian states: Selangor, Melaka, Perak, Kedah, and Perlis, where village houses represent over 50% of occupied housing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who either work from home or spend most of their time at home, assessing their thermal comfort, daily cooling needs, and household practices. Findings reveal that thermal discomfort peaks between 2 PM and 5 PM, and while most households have access to cooling systems, 66% of respondents reported high electricity bills as the main reason for not using air-conditioning. An additional 29% cited financial inability to afford the system, indicating that cost-related factors are the dominant barriers to cooling access. A chi-square goodness-of-fit test focusing on village house respondents revealed that heat due to house structure was the statistically significant cause of discomfort (χ² = 27.91 p < 0.001), suggesting structural issues such as poor insulation and solar heat gain as key contributors. To propose feasible solutions, TRNSYS simulations were conducted on a typical rural house model. Results showed that enhancing roof insulation was the most effective strategy, reducing cooling loads by approximately 10%, with an estimated load of 3.39 kWh. This study concludes that structural improvements, particularly roof insulation, are essential for reducing cooling needs and improving thermal comfort for women at home. Tackling both technical and financial barriers through affordable passive cooling strategies can significantly improve living conditions while enhancing women’s health, productivity, and economic participation, contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable future.