Assessing the Peak-Period Thermal Conditions of Large Places of Worship in Ahmadu Bello University Main Campus Zaria, Nigeria

ABSTRACT One of the most gruelling challenges for the users of places of worship in the tropical hot regions is the extreme thermal discomfort during the peak activity periods. This study investigated the thermal comfort conditions of mosques and churches of ABU Zaria main campus. To fully understand the occupants’ experience, the study applied an empirical field observations method to obtain primary data that was subsequently subjected to comparative analysis against the stipulated comfort zones for the location from a set of validated thermal comfort standards. The results show that the combined impact of air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed provided a comprehensive deduction that thermal comfort is such a great challenge to attain in the places of worship throughout the survey period. The average cases of temperature profile on a typical day of the hottest week recorded a temperature difference of +2.85 °C from the outdoor temperature in the ITN mosque, which is the highest record, while the lowest was +2.15°C on ABU Chapel. Worse cases were observed to be +4.50 °C in the hottest moments during Friday prayer in the ITN Mosque and +4.10 °C during the Sunday mass in OLQPP chapel. The study concludes that the design of crowded worship spaces requires a holistic approach of balancing the comfort indices with adequate natural ventilation and supplementary augmentation with mechanical systems.