Abstract
The Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) refers to the quality of indoor spaces in relation to the health and well-being of users. IEQ is a holistic concept considering various components of the overall indoor comfort: thermo-hygrometric, lighting, air quality and acoustics. Each component is described through specific performance indicators and benchmarks. The quality of the built environment is assessed at different stages from design to operational phase. The scientific literature reports several case studies related to the assessment of the individual components of the IEQ Tools aimed at the evaluation of the overall IEQ. The paper proposes an assessment tool based on the SB Method (Sustainable Building Method) and the Multi Criteria Analysis for the evaluation of IEQ during the operational phase of a building. Each component of IEQ is analysed through objective indicators and calculation methods. The tool provides two main outcomes: a global score expressing the overall performance of the building from the IEQ perspective; quantitative evaluations of all indoor comfort components through monitoring and measurement of the environmental variables. The above contributes to select intervention areas to optimize indoor design and to identify technologies aimed at ensuring the best IEQ levels for users at the operational stage. The system was applied to an open-plan working space of an office building. Monitoring activities and measurements are carried out to detect the indoor and outdoor variables affecting the IEQ. All aspects of IEQ were analysed and quantified so to evaluate the overall performance of the building and provide data to improve the working conditions.
Highlights
The issue of sustainability has affected the scientific community and international governments for decades
The analysis shows a better behavior of the certified building in terms of both energy consumption and users’ satisfaction
The assessment tool allows the evaluation of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) levels of tertiary buildings in real working conditions according to the guidelines of the Sustainable Building (SB) Method
Summary
The issue of sustainability has affected the scientific community and international governments for decades. The concept of sustainable development, defined as the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” [1] is a mantra repeated over and over again with different degrees of intensity and awareness in all areas related to human activities In recent years, this paradigm has become relevant within the building sector and the built environment [2]. Increasing attention is being paid to the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) aimed at designing a comfortable indoor environment with a specific focus on users’ well-being [5] Researches on this topic cover a large number of issues, considering different aspects of the IEQ [6,7], and are carried out in buildings with different intended uses [8] and involving different categories of end users, taking into account their real response to environmental stimuli [9]. Other researches aim at defining a classification of buildings from the point of view of indoor comfort [12]
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