The Influence of Passive Design Strategies on Users' Comfort in Academic Libraries in Delta State, Nigeria

The implementation of passive design strategies significantly affects user comfort and satisfaction. However, research on the implementation of passive design strategies in academic libraries, particularly in Nigeria, remains limited. Thus, the research paper focuses on passive design strategies and how they affect user comfort in three academic libraries in Delta State, Nigeria: Delta State University (DELSU), Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), and College of Education, Warri. The structured questionnaire was administered to 315 students and staff members with emphasis on natural light, ventilation, flexibility of space, and airflow. The results of the SPSS analysis indicated that window seating comfort (mean = 4.03), spatial flexibility (mean = 3.91), and natural lighting (mean = 3.84) had the highest satisfaction levels, whereas satisfaction with air-condition-free ventilation (mean = 3.15) ranked lowest. Spatial layout, airflow, lighting, and comfort strongly correlated with each other in relation to Spearman correlation (ρ > 0.4, p < 0.01). Spatial flexibility (β = 0.402), sunlight control (β = 0.337), and artificial lighting (β = 0.213) were found to define user comfort most significantly, with 53 percent variance (Adjusted R² = 0.530) using CATREG regressive probability analysis. These findings highlight the role of adaptive layouts, effective daylighting, and hybrid ventilation in increasing user comfort and lead to sustainable library design since they reinforce degrees of flexibility in the building as recommended in the local climate.