<![CDATA[Thermal comfort is a critical factor for room quality in humid tropical climates such as Padang, West Sumatra, where high outdoor temperature and relative humidity make conventional cooling energy-intensive. This study analyses the potential of an Earth-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHE), a passive cooling technology that uses the stable temperature of soil to pre-cool outdoor air before it enters a room. A quantitative experimental-analytical approach was applied to a 9.6 m³ test room equipped with a 10 m long, 3-inch diameter EAHE pipe buried at a depth of 1 m and driven by a blower. Cooling load was estimated using the Carrier method, while air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity were evaluated against SNI 03-6572-2001. Results show a total room cooling load of 1,210.60 W, dominated by heat gain through the roof (552.42 W) and walls (448.90 W). The EAHE lowered the outdoor air temperature by an average of 2.62°C, with the system effectiveness reaching about 50.5 percent. However, the resulting room air condition, with an average temperature of 29.42°C and relative humidity of 71.7 percent, has not yet fully met the SNI comfort range. These findings indicate that EAHE can meaningfully reduce cooling demand and pre-cool incoming air, but achieving full thermal comfort in a humid tropical climate requires it to be combined with improved building envelope insulation and additional dehumidification strategies.]]>
