Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Building Orientation has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with thermal comfort. This growing interest reflects the recognition that building orientation does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.

Selected Public Universities in Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While building orientation is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on thermal comfort within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to building orientation are helping or hindering thermal comfort — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Building Orientation on thermal comfort in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which building orientation influences thermal comfort within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with building orientation in relation to thermal comfort.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing building orientation in order to improve thermal comfort.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of building orientation on thermal comfort in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does building orientation influence thermal comfort within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with building orientation in relation to thermal comfort?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize building orientation in order to improve thermal comfort?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of architecture, this study has practical value for management teams within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria seeking to understand how building orientation translates into measurable outcomes around thermal comfort. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Selected Public Universities in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how building orientation relates to thermal comfort within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.