Children’s perspectives on classroom environments: a participatory post-occupancy evaluation of thermal comfort and air quality

The evaluation of buildings in operation is essential for improving indoor environmental quality and advancing sustainability. However, traditional post-occupancy evaluation (POE) methods are typically designed for adults, often overlooking children’s perspectives. This study integrates architectural science with creative, qualitative approaches to recognise children as active agents in shaping their environments. Focusing on primary school children (ages 5–11), it explores how they perceive and understand the indoor environment in their classrooms, as well as the strategies they use to achieve thermal comfort. Children expressed their sensory experiences and adaptive actions through drawings and group discussions, while the research team collected in-situ measurements of temperature and carbon dioxide in the classrooms. The findings reveal how children articulate (dis)comfort, perceive their ability to influence their surroundings, and employ adaptive strategies at both personal and environmental levels. Children’s reported comfort generally aligned with measured temperatures in summer, although the relationship between their perceptions of air quality and measured carbon dioxide levels was less clear. This research demonstrates the value of child-centred approaches for evaluating indoor environments. Such methods not only enhance understanding of children’s comfort but also support environmental education, empowering children and teachers to co-create healthier, more comfortable learning spaces.