Ambiences can be understood from the relationship between the body and the space, which merge through the experience of the lived environment. In this context, indoor air quality is an essential element for the functionality and comfort of buildings and has a direct influence on the productivity and well-being of occupants. In the educational context, inadequate levels of indoor air quality can compromise academic performance and student health, being associated with an increase in respiratory diseases and allergies, as well as having a negative impact on concentration and school performance. The purpose of this study is to evidence that multi-methodological approaches that are articulated to different scientific areas can contribute to studies on indoor air quality in educational environments and consequently help to deepen studies on educational environments. To this end, a pilot investigation was made into indoor air quality (IAQ) in classrooms, using a multi-methodological approach to evaluate both the physical educational environment and the perception of users. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used, such as environmental autobiography and post-occupancy evaluation (PEA), as well as technical measurements of CO2 concentration, PM2.5 , PM10 and thermal comfort variables, applied in a descriptive, experimental and documentary form. It is important to note that environmental autobiography makes use of personal experiences, such as cognitive maps and texts written in the first person, to highlight individual experiences with the environment, using verbal and non-verbal techniques, like drawings, paintings and collages, while Post-Occupancy Assessment (POA) analyzes technical, functional and behavioral factors of the physical environment, considering the perception of technicians, designers and users, in order to identify positive and negative aspects and propose recommendations for improvement. The study was conducted in a classroom of the Architecture and Urbanism course at the State University of Campinas - Unicamp - Brazil. The results, based on the students' written and graphic reports, showed thermal discomfort related to temperature, relative humidity and air quality, as well as the need for more efficient ventilation. These reports were corroborated by the environmental measurements, which indicated high concentrations of particulate material (PM10 and PM2.5), higher than the limits recommended by the OMS, and aggravated by the poor ventilation, as seen in the air speed measurements. The application of a multi-methodological approach, incorporating technical and subjective data on air quality, allowed for an integrated analysis of the ambience in the educational context. The study makes a significant contribution to improving educational environments, through evidence-based recommendations for creating healthier spaces suitable for learning.

Keywords: Multi-methods, air quality, post-occupancy assessment (POA), environmental autobiography, architecture, ambiences.