Effect of Indoor Environmental Quality on Work Productivity in Educational Buildings: A Review.

Abstract

Sustainable building provides an option of using resources efficiently and creating healthier environments for occupiers to live and work. Establishing a sustainable workplace has become a worldwide trend for minimizing adverse effects on the occupants and environment. A sustainable workplace is environmentally conscious, socially responsible, and resource-efficient. It necessitates an integrated, comprehensive strategy to develop work culture, decrease environmental consequences, and improve the workplace. As a result, certain educational facilities throughout the globe have adopted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation as a global standard for high-performing sustainable buildings. The literature assessment found that there is currently little research on environmental sustainability and how to improve the workplace successfully. It also shows that this notion is new to Saudi Arabia’s educational buildings, and the influence of LEED on staff performance and satisfaction has yet to be researched. Thus, this research paper investigates the main indoor environmental quality parameters adopted in studying occupants’ satisfaction in LEED-certified buildings. Such parameters are office layout, office furnishings, lighting, and acoustic quality. The study also investigates the effectiveness of workplace indoor environmental parameters on occupants’ performance. The research could help as a first step to certifying the building as LEED O+M (Operations and Maintenance for existing buildings). This aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which emphasizes enhancing living quality and safety, as reflected by employee performance and satisfaction.