Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Earth-Based Institutional Buildings in Lagos: Diagnostic Analysis of Students' Perceived Thermal and Acoustic Comfort for Performance Optimization

Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) has become more significant in evaluating the performance of institutional buildings in real use especially in terms of the comfort, the health of the students and their learning effectiveness. Thermal and acoustic comfort are crucial factors to consider in earth-based institutional buildings, as they directly affect academic performance and satisfaction when these factors are considered. An important gap in the empirical research dealing with the perception of these conditions after occupation has been identified, particularly in the context of development in an urban area, as is the case in Lagos. The purpose of this study is thus to evaluate students' thermal and acoustic perceptions of comfort in earth-based institutional buildings using the diagnostic post-occupancy evaluation approach. A mixed method research design was used which included structured questionnaires, observation and simple environmental assessment of 100 students selected from selected institutions. The results indicate that the students have a satisfactory thermal comfort, natural ventilation and stable temperatures, and the acoustic comfort was also satisfactory, though there were some noise disturbances at times. The research also reveals that the concentration of students, learning experience, and their satisfaction is significantly affected by both thermal and acoustic environment. The conclusions of the study clearly indicate the importance of incorporating passive design elements and earth-based construction techniques in institutional structures to improve indoor environmental quality and promote academic work.