A Multi-Tiered Framework for School-Based Thermal Comfort Strategies and Student Well-Being
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsair.V2.I2.249Keywords:
Thermal Comfort, Student Well-Being, Climate Adaptation, Educational Management, Mixed-Methods, Philippines, Active CoolingAbstract
This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study investigated the implementation of school-based thermal comfort strategies and their influence on the multi-dimensional well-being of students within the Department of Education (DepEd) Cotabato Division, specifically in Alamada, North Cotabato. Data were gathered from 527 across ten secondary schools during the 2025–2026 school year. Quantitative results revealed a "High Extent" of implementation in administrative domains such as flexible learning and health monitoring, but only a "Moderate Extent" in classroom infrastructure. Despite these interventions, students reported "Low" levels of physical and social well-being. Spearman’s rho and multiple regression analyses indicated no significant positive relationship between current mitigation strategies and student well-being outcomes, highlighting a critical implementation-impact gap. Qualitative thematic analysis of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions uncovered the "Hot Air Paradox," where standard electric fans proved ineffective or detrimental during peak heat. Teachers reported a "Vertical Heat Penalty" for upper-floor classrooms and chronic burnout, while students experienced "hygiene stress" and social withdrawal. The study concludes that passive cooling and administrative adjustments have reached their physiological limits. Findings led to the development of a Multi-Tiered Framework for School-Based Thermal Comfort Strategies, recommending a systemic pivot toward "hard" infrastructure investments, including solar-powered active cooling, architectural retrofitting, and de-privatized climate adaptation funding through updated maintenance allowances
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