Perceived indoor environmental quality of classrooms and outcomes: a study of a higher education institution in India

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to assess students’ perceptions of the dimensions of the indoor environment of classrooms in a higher education institute in terms of spatial, thermal, visual, indoor air quality (IAQ) and acoustical parameters. This study attempted to determine the factors that influenced the perceived indoor environmental quality (PIEQ) and explored the relation between the perceived importance of indoor environmental quality (PI-IEQ) and academic satisfaction, academic ambience, academic performance and brand name/image of the institution. A field study of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of 25 classrooms in the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India, was conducted and responses from 1295 students were obtained (N = 1295). Structural equation modelling was employed for data analysis. The research identified the six IEQ factors that influenced PIEQ as adaptive opportunities, furniture, daylight, acoustics, IAQ and thermal aspects. PIEQ had a positive influence on a classroom being perceived as conducive for learning. It was observed that PI-IEQ had the most significant and positive influence on academic ambience. The second most positive influence was on academic satisfaction. PI-IEQ had a positive influence on the brand name/image of the institute and on the academic performance.