The Role of Thermal Comfort in Worship Engagement within ECWA (Evangelical Church Winning All) Church Buildings, Abuja

. Thermal comfort has emerged as a critical factor influencing human concentration, productivity, and engagement in indoor environments globally, particularly within public and religious buildings located in tropical climates. In recent years, growing attention has been directed toward how indoor environmental quality affects occupants’ behavioural responses and participation levels. Despite this growing discourse, limited empirical research has examined the relationship between thermal comfort and worship engagement in church buildings in Nigeria. This study investigates the role of indoor thermal comfort in shaping worship engagement within selected ECWA (Evangelical Church Winning All) church buildings in Abuja, Nigeria, while exploring sustainable passive cooling strategies suitable for tropical worship spaces. A mixed-method research approach was adopted, combining quantitative surveys of worshippers, qualitative behavioural observations, and environmental measurements across five ECWA worship centres. Findings indicate that indoor temperatures ranged from 28.2°C to 36.3°C, with a mean of 33.17°C, exceeding recommended thermal comfort thresholds, while relative humidity averaged 25.75%. Statistical analysis revealed significant negative relationships between indicators of thermal discomfort—such as fidgeting (τ = −0.455), use of personal cooling devices (τ = −0.352), solar radiation exposure (τ = −0.474), and congregants leaving the worship space (τ = −0.467)—and worship engagement levels. These results demonstrate that thermal discomfort significantly reduces attention, participation, and overall engagement during worship services. The study concludes that improving thermal comfort through passive cooling strategies—including enhanced natural ventilation, improved building orientation, shading devices, and thermally efficient materials—can significantly enhance worship engagement while reducing dependence on energy-intensive mechanical cooling systems. The findings provide practical design guidance for architects, church administrators, and policymakers seeking to create sustainable and spiritually conducive worship environments. Keywords: Thermal comfort; Worship engagement; Passive cooling; Sustainable church design; ECWA churches; Abuja.