Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of LEED-certified home: Importance-performance analysis (IPA)

Abstract

Despite immense increase in the number of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified homes since LEED for Home was launched in 2008, little is known about occupant satisfaction with the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of LEED-certified homes. The purpose of this study is to examine the performance of IEQ in LEED-certified homes by measuring differences between occupant's perceived importance and performance using the importance-performance analysis (IPA) developed by Martilla and James [1]. A mail-in survey was conducted to evaluate the performance of 13 IEQs with residents living in LEED-certified homes in the Midwest. A total of 235 completed surveys were analyzed using gap analysis and both traditional IPA and alternative IPA matrices. The findings revealed that the highest priority for improvement should be given to temperature, air quality, and humidity as well as cleanliness and view. Daylight and artificial lighting did not show a performance gap. Acoustic quality was in low priority. The gap analysis and IPA matrices were effective tools to prioritize IEQs for improvement action and provide useful information for the future improvement of LEED-certified homes. By applying an IPA approach, this study provides a practical research framework that helps researchers examine the performance of green buildings and provides policy makers, building practitioners, and LEED professionals with more insightful feedback for their decision making on future green home projects and policies.