Introduction

Educating indoor thermal comfort requires a comprehensive comprehension of the various elements that impact the satisfaction of occupants within their indoor environment. The present study presents an immersive Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that employs Virtual Reality (VR) technology for the purpose of instructing students pursuing building service engineering about indoor thermal conditions and human comfort. The VLE integrates Fanger’s Predicted Mean Vote Model, which is a fundamental framework in the evaluation of thermal comfort. The VLE utilises a multi-user platform and incorporates interactive interfaces at different proficiency levels to direct learners from fundamental theoretical concepts to real-world implementation. By navigating interactive scenarios and manipulating parameters in real-time within Unity, users (students) can gain practical experience with thermal comfort assessment. This study introduces a novel method of connecting theory and practice by incorporating Fanger’s model into an educational framework based on virtual reality. In doing so, it contributes to a more profound comprehension of the relationship between indoor environmental quality and human-being. The virtual learning environment’s interactive components and immersive features represent a substantial progression in the instruction of intricate principles pertaining to domestic environmental design and thermal comfort.