Increasing the positive effect of kindergarten students’ exposure to nature: A case study in Yazd, Iran

Keywords: Greenery exposure; School yards, Kindergarten, Building design
Session Type: Virtual Poster Abstract
Day: Sunday
Session Start / End Time: 2/27/2022 02:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/27/2022 03:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 62

Abstract

Research has shown positive effects of exposure to outside greenery on students. However, finding the best way to expose students to the outdoors has always been challenging, especially for kindergarteners aged 4-7. This study designed a plan for a kindergarten in Yazd, Iran with an outdoor environment with traditional features for the climate to address this challenge. The classrooms had a direct view of a central yard where native plants such as cypress were cultivated. The central yard was positioned in such a way that students could view the greenery and have open windows yet maintain privacy. Furthermore, the design included several rotating smart panels so students could view the outdoor environment as much as the teachers allowed. A survey of 18 kindergarten students revealed their preferred temperature and the amount of preferred exposure to the outside environment during each hour of the day (from 9 am to 4 pm). Based on these preferences, the rotating panels were installed on the surface of the building so they could be rotated during the day to provide a pleasant temperature (how much heat from the sun could enter the building) and their desired exposure to the outside each hour of the day. After implementing the design with rotating panels, we conducted a survey to measure the students’ comfort. It revealed that their satisfaction with thermal comfort and seeing outside greenery improved by 30% and 55%, respectively.