Investigating designers’ perceptions of thermal comfort: A Q-methodology study in residential design

Investigating designers’ perceptions of thermal comfort: A Q-methodology study in residential design | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Investigating designers’ perceptions of thermal comfort: A Q-methodology study in residential design Mohammad Tohidi, Karen Fatahi, Ali Omranipour, Maryam Beigi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8927350/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study employs a robust mixed methods approach—anchored in Q-methodology and semi-structured interviews—to explore how architects in Ilam, Iran, conceptualize thermal comfort as both technical and cultural discourse. A concourse of 78 statements, refined to 43, was sorted by 20 senior designers. Factor analysis using PQMethod revealed four distinct perception types: (1) passive climate responsiveness, (2) reliance on smart HVAC systems, (3) prioritization of insulation materials, and (4) management of natural light and solar exposure. These viewpoints highlight methodological hybridity, combining subjective discourse with analytical rigor, and reveal how cultural and professional logics shape design priorities. Findings indicate that thermal comfort is a cultural and cognitive construct, shaped by professional judgment, local climate, and social expectations. Q-methodology integrates qualitative interpretation with quantitative categorization to reveal subjective viewpoints with analytical rigor. By situating comfort within cultural and cognitive frameworks, this study demonstrates how Q-methodology enriches sustainability research, guiding climate-responsive design and fostering critical dialogue on energy efficiency and occupant well-being. Humanities/Cultural and media studies Social science/Cultural and media studies Physical sciences/Engineering Social science/Sociology Q-methodology Thermal comfort Energy efficiency Climate-responsive design Residential architecture Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files AppendixA.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 10 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 27 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 26 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 09 Mar, 2026 Editor invited by journal 02 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 23 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 23 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 20 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8927350","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":604588006,"identity":"ac72feb5-1294-473c-84b1-c0f859cc66cf","order_by":0,"name":"Mohammad Tohidi","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAuElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYJACZgYDZh5+ZiiPjRgNYC2SzaRpAek6QKyjdBv4Dz4uKLCWMT7O/EyCocaOgU+agGazA8zMxjMM0nnMDrOZSTAcS2Zg40sgqIVNmsfgMFALA1AL2wEGNh4CDoNrMW5m/ybB8I8ULcBAM5NgbCNGy2FmY2MeoF8kDvMUWyT2JfMQ1nK88eFjnj/W9vz9xzfe+PDNTk6+h4AWBmZkTgIDAyE7RsEoGAWjYBQQAwCYuiz0KcaCywAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Islamic Azad Universiry, Il.C., Ilam, Iran","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mohammad","middleName":"","lastName":"Tohidi","suffix":""},{"id":604588007,"identity":"9873a0b5-2fe8-494d-a613-8652aeb053f0","order_by":1,"name":"Karen Fatahi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Islamic Azad Universiry, Il.C., Ilam, Iran","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Karen","middleName":"","lastName":"Fatahi","suffix":""},{"id":604588008,"identity":"6ba69510-042b-4ac9-ae14-e38369fe9195","order_by":2,"name":"Ali Omranipour","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Tehran","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ali","middleName":"","lastName":"Omranipour","suffix":""},{"id":604588009,"identity":"15a8b3e1-69a9-4a9f-a642-6f60716a4e22","order_by":3,"name":"Maryam Beigi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Islamic Azad Universiry, Il.C., Ilam, Iran","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Maryam","middleName":"","lastName":"Beigi","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-20 15:38:25","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8927350/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8927350/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104781319,"identity":"fb203d31-3ce9-4f6a-b35b-08e1f334d2c6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-17 07:55:24","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":594421,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Main.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8927350/v1_covered_139d39d5-b09e-4b58-9972-7f511c4e0941.pdf"},{"id":104548907,"identity":"9d39cbd9-1c7b-4c8a-8b7b-663c752aca6a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-13 07:48:10","extension":"docx","order_by":5,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":81671,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"AppendixA.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8927350/v1/739e1c0fc0574301652b6abf.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Investigating designers’ perceptions of thermal comfort: A Q-methodology study in residential design","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Q-methodology, Thermal comfort, Energy efficiency, Climate-responsive design, Residential architecture","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8927350/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8927350/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study employs a robust mixed methods approach\u0026mdash;anchored in Q-methodology and semi-structured interviews\u0026mdash;to explore how architects in Ilam, Iran, conceptualize thermal comfort as both technical and cultural discourse. 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