Aspects Of Indoor Environmental Quality Research Articles

Indoor Environmental Quality Effect Analysis in Green and Non-green Office Building to Staff’s Performance and Satisfaction in Surabaya

The energy efficiency in an office building can decrease the company’s operational cost. Even so, the operational cost for staff is still larger than the cost for energy. It is important to reassure that the impact given by the building’s indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is positive to staff. This research focusses on two office building in Surabaya, one of them is designed using the green principles and calculations, and the other is not. The building’s IEQ aspects being inspected includes indoor air quality, thermal, lighting, acoustics and layout. A questionnaire survey was held to obtain the reaction from the full time staff regarding the building’s IEQ performance, their satisfaction to it and their self-assessed performance. There are IEQ aspects that affects staff’s performance and satisfaction significantly. The IEQ mean score differs significantly in green and non-green building, but the mean difference in satisfaction and performance were found not significant.

Investigation of Thermal Comfort, Productivity and Lighting Conditions in Higher Education Buildings

Thermal comfort and lighting conditions are essential aspects of indoor environmental quality. They are considered to influence the productivity of room users. The paper presents the experimental test results of research conducted in the university educational building of Kielce University of Technology (Central Poland) using anonymous questionnaires and physical measurements of indoor air parameters with a high-precision microclimate meter. It covers the analysis of the subjective assessment of thermal sensations, acceptability and preference, as well as productivity, lighting and air quality in eleven rooms (both lecture rooms and classrooms). The study analyses the impact of the indoor environment (mostly air temperature and illuminance) on the subjective sensations of the respondents they expressed in the questionnaires. The experiments have enabled us to provide valuable insights into developing the proper indoor environmental conditions to maximise room users' comfort and productivity.

The Influence of Environmental Quality in Classrooms on Internal Response and Academic Performance in Conventional and Energy-Efficient Buildings

Humans spend a lot of time indoors, and this cannot be separated from teaching and learning activities. Teaching and learning activities must be conditioned so that the best academic performance can be achieved through adequate aspects of indoor environmental quality. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) on internal responses and academic performance in classrooms in two different building types. Where one building is a conventional building and the other building is a building that applies the concept of energy saving. A qualitative method was used in this research by conducting interviews with a purposive sampling technique then the results of the interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The results of this study reveal that perceived comfort conditions are stated to positively affect the physiological, cognitive, and emotional status as well as the academic performance of students and lecturers, and high-efficiency buildings are more satisfying than conventional buildings.

Can housing conditions and features affect well-being? A review through Indoor Environmental Quality aspects and Mental Health implications

Abstract The purpose of the scoping review is to explore the relationship between housing conditions, Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), and mental health implications on human well-being. In fact, time spent at home increased due to the recent COVID-19 lockdown period, and social-sanitary emergencies are expected to grow due to the urbanization phenomenon. Thus, the role of the physical environment in which we live, study, and work, has become of crucial importance, as the literature has recently highlighted. This scoping review, conducted on the electronic database Scopus, led to the identification of 366 articles. This, after the screening processes based on the inclusion criteria, led to the final inclusion of 31 papers related specifically to the OECD area. The review allowed the identification of five housing conditions [house type, age, and floor level; housing qualities; household composition; neighborhood; green spaces] that, by influencing the IEQ parameters, had impacts on the mental health outcomes addressed. By synthesizing the contributions of the review, a list of design recommendations has been provided. These will serve as a basis for future researchers, from which to develop measures to reduce inequalities in housing by making them healthier, more resilient, and salutogenic.

11.E. Workshop: Healthy Buildings: interdisciplinary perspectives

Abstract The Workshop titled “Healthy Buildings: interdisciplinary perspectives” - proposed and developed by the three EUPHA Section: Urban Public Health (URB), Public Mental Health (MEN) and Environmental Health (ENV) - is aimed to foster the dialogue between designers (architects and urban planners), Public Health experts (operators, professionals and epidemiologists), policy/decision makers and buildings’ users, to establish a multidisciplinary approach for understanding together how to create and manage healthy living indoor environments (both housing and complex constructions/public buildings). The Workshops mainly address both the “Climate emergency / Environment and health / Urban health” and the “Mental health” EPH23 conference topics. The Workshops purpose is to explore the relationship between housing conditions, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Mental Health implications on human well-being. In fact, time spent at home and in the indoor environment increased due to the recent COVID-19 lockdown period, and social-sanitary emergencies are expected to grow due to the urbanization phenomenon. Thus, the role of the physical environment in which we live, study, and work, has become of crucial importance, as the literature has recently highlighted. The Workshops program include inputs which they argue current experiences, emerging practices and scientific outcomes related to the Urban Health discipline. From Sustainable Development Goals framework, in “Urban environment, unhealthy buildings as a root of inequalities and importance of SDGs”, to Indoor Environmental Quality implications, in “Can housing conditions and features affect well-being? A review through Indoor Environmental Quality aspects and Mental Health implications”. From experience-based works related to specific functions, in “Can the built environment impact on the health and well-being of people with dementia? Evidence from Literature and Stakeholders Involvement”, to Indoor Air Quality emerging issue, in “Buildings, air quality and mental health conditions: a review of intervention studies”. Key messages • Explore the relationship between housing conditions, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Mental Health implications on users well-being. • Establish a multidisciplinary approach for understanding together how to create and manage healthy living indoor environments (both housing and complex constructions/public buildings).

In the eye of the flourish wheel: an assessment of users’ health, well-being and productivity in university research rooms

ABSTRACT Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is an immense concern for people’s wellness. The central argument in this research is that the IEQ in a university research room impacts users and their health, well-being and productivity. In addition, the present study relies on the Flourish Wheel to enhance the environment using the Biophilic Design approach, which in turn influences users’ satisfaction and work performance in five research rooms at Brunel University London. These rooms are situated in the same outdoor environment of a single university campus, but house multi-disciplinary occupants and vary in construction age, size, methods of ventilation and mode of thermostatic control. The current research paper firstly investigated the role of IEQ factors and sub-factors on occupants’ health, well-being, and productivity. Secondly, evaluated the possibility of improving the indoor workplace environment using Biophilic Design patterns. The most prominent finding is that the qualities of the five critical aspects of IEQ have significantly positive correlations with the occupants’ wellness. Another significant result is that the 14 Biophilic Design framework patterns can holistically offer different ways to improve the research rooms based on various environmental issues. The findings proposed in this study could be valuable both for design practitioners and academic researchers.

Ten Questions Concerning Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Models: The Development and Applications

In the past two decades, with advances in data collection and in analytical techniques and tools, there has been a significant increase in research on indoor environmental quality (IEQ) assessment. To better understand the relationships between the overall IEQ performance and individual IEQ aspects, namely, indoor air quality, thermal comfort, acoustic quality, and visual quality, IEQ models have been developed by many previous studies. In this paper, the IEQ models proposed in the literature in the period from 2001 to 2022 are examined and summarized into ten questions, including but not limited to indicator selection, data collection, analysis methods, interpretation, and implication. The proposed answers aim to provide insight into current studies on IEQ models and identify gaps for future research. It has been found that the existing IEQ models differed for different building types or occupants. To compare the IEQ performance of various buildings in other countries, standardized data collection protocols are necessary, including the selection of IEQ aspects/indicators and their corresponding objective measurement strategies and standardized subjective survey methods. In addition, the data analysis approaches used to develop the IEQ models must be unified. Moreover, criteria for overall IEQ performance and the individual IEQ aspects should be provided. This study is the first comprehensive investigation of all the steps involved in IEQ model development. The answers to these ten questions can be seen as practical instructions for establishing an improved, standardized, and repeatable IEQ assessment model.

The actual performance of retrofitted residential apartments: post-occupancy evaluation study in Italy

ABSTRACT Housing retrofits are undertaken to reduce energy use and to improve ‘occupants’ indoor environmental conditions. Despite increased retrofitting of the Italian housing stock, there is a lack of data on their energy use and indoor environmental quality (IEQ). This paper fills this gap by a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) study of seven retrofitted apartments in northern Italy; a non-retrofitted case study was included as a comparison. The study aimed to understand aspects of IEQ and occupant satisfaction after energy-efficiency retrofits. A mixed-method approach encompassed occupant satisfaction surveys, energy bill comparisons, in-situ indoor air temperature, and relative humidity measurements. Results highlighted ‘occupants’ thermal comfort improvement and heating energy consumption reduction after retrofits. Furthermore, reported preferred indoor temperatures w within a broader range than the recommended Italian regulations and CIBSE guide A standard. However, some participants reported unintended consequences, including mould growth and noise from the mechanical ventilation system. This study shows the potential of POE to understand the actual performance of retrofitted residential buildings. However, the difficulties of conducting a POE in retrofitted existing residential buildings show the need of further research on how to effectively conduct POE in retrofitted residential buildings, including improved digital quality monitoring methods.

MICA (Monitoring Internal Comfort Application):

Façades are one of the main elements that affect indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in buildings and building performance. Given the increasing development of sensor technology, the collection of building monitoring data is useful to understand whether the building and in particular the façade system performs as designed. The increasing use of Technical Building Management (TBM) as well as Building Automatic and Control System (BACs) has been demonstrated to be a promising method to decrease the energy consumption and increase the indoor comfort in new and existing buildings. This project aims to develop a tool showing and processing the monitoring data in a BIM environment using an IFC model. The application has been developed thinking about a BIM approach in the building management. Nowadays IFC models are the most used exchange file format in a BIM process. An IFC file can be loaded into a common data environment (CDE) reachable from stakeholders, sharing information and management strategies. The developed tool is a stand-alone application written in C# which is called MICA (Monitoring Internal Comfort Application). MICA can properly display the monitoring data of building sensors, sharing information between different building actors using the IFC format. It is a platform to visualize, manage and identify the IEQ aspects of building based on real monitored data.

Strengthening Taiwan’s Green Building Certification System from Aspects of Productivity and Energy Costs to Provide a Healthier Workplace

This study estimates the relationship between poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and the increasing labor costs in green buildings in Taiwan. Specifically, poor performance of IEQ including HVAC, lighting, and indoor air quality, influences the health and well-being of occupants and leads to worse productivity, ultimately causing increased personnel cost. In Taiwan’s green building certification (GBC) system, the energy-savings category is mandatory while the IEQ category is only optional. It means that certified building cases may not reach the expected level in IEQ. Thus, this study reviews the thermal environment, indoor air quality (IAQ), and illumination performances of IEQ-certified and non-IEQ-certified buildings in 20 green buildings. Building energy and IEQ simulations were conducted to analyze the relationships between indoor comfort, energy cost, and personnel cost in green buildings. The results show that IEQ-certified green buildings averagely perform better than non-IEQ-certified ones in the aspects of IEQ and building costs. Besides, 3 of 13 non-IEQ-certified green buildings undertake extremely high additional expenditure for the poor IEQ. The results correspond to some previous findings that green-certified buildings do not necessarily guarantee good building performance. This study further inspects the pros and cons of Taiwan’s GBC system and proposes recommendations against its insufficient IEQ evaluation category. As the trade-off of energy-saving benefits with health and well-being in green buildings has always been a concern, this study aims to stimulate more quantitative research and promote a more comprehensive green building certification system in Taiwan.

A survey-based approach used to analyse the indoor satisfaction and productivity level of user in smart working during lock-down due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Italy was the first country in Europe to enter lock-down due to COVID-19 pandemic. Most employees have been forced to adopt a work at home solution to avoid any possibility of spreading the virus. The article presents the results of a survey carried out in March-June 2020, during the first lockdown in Italy, aimed at investigating how people perceive the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) of their households during working from home. The questionnaire consists in a general section reporting information about participant, households and rooms where they perform the working activities; a specific section reporting feedbacks on each IEQ aspects (thermal, visual comfort, air and acoustic quality), overall comfort, productivity and other external variables that can affect users’ well-being during working hours. A total of 330 participants from all over the Italian territory signed the consent to participate in the survey over a period of about 3 months. The dataset was used to define the global level of satisfaction, perception, preference and interference with work at home, considering the main indoor environmental factors. The Machine Learning (ML) approach was applied to identify the most useful model to predict the overall comfort satisfaction.

Geographical distribution of the sources of IEQ complaints: an analysis through text-mining of online job reviews

Text-mining allows analyzing a large amount of non-structured data, such as online reviews, to gain insights about previously unknown information. Online job reviews contain a variety of information, ranging from salary estimations to interview experiences. Among this information, the text posted online can report an evaluation of the workplace’s indoor environmental quality (IEQ), describing both its positive and negative aspects. When referring to negative characteristics, online reviews can be considered to report IEQ complaints. Such complaints can be categorized according to the four IEQ aspects (i.e., thermal, visual, acoustic, and indoor air quality) and their combination. This paper exploits text-mining techniques to investigate the geographical distribution of the sources of IEQ complaints according to the location in which the job review is posted. The analysis is performed in terms of climate (according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification), country, and population (to consider the distribution between high-density and low-density areas). The results show that the distribution of the source of IEQ complaints varies according to the climate and the country, even though thermal aspects are always the largest source of discomfort in all countries and climatic zones. The more significant rates of thermal complaints are observed in the U.S. and India. They could be associated with the extensive use of HVAC systems and the restrictive operating temperatures adopted in these countries. The results also show that acoustic, indoor air quality and visual complaints are more numerous in large cities than in rural areas, where thermal complaints prevail. This paper provides a picture of the current IEQ discomfort across several geographical regions and highlights the great potential of User-Generated-Content to study various aspects of the IEQ, in this case, their geographic distribution.

Occupants' perceived importance and satisfaction with the indoor environmental quality of a green building

PurposeThis study examines occupants' satisfaction with the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a green-certified building [The Green Star South Africa (SA) Building] in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachViews of 300 respondents are solicited on 15 IEQ (obtained through a critical review of the literature and complemented with a pilot interview on the subject) parameters. Data obtained are analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.FindingsFindings suggest that occupants are generally satisfied with five critical aspects of IEQ. The results also indicate that the occupants perceive five key IEQ parameters to have high levels of importance. Further inferential analysis of the parameters revealed that two core IEQs require the highest levels of improvement actions.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted in Ghana and analysed occupants' perceptions of working within one green-certified building. Again, the collection of the occupants' responses was not linked with the direct measurement of physical characteristics of the IEQ parameters of the building. Hence, the findings cannot be generalised.Practical implicationsPractically, the study contributes to providing all stakeholders involved in the Green Star SA Ghana certification system with the relevant feedback for their decision-making on current and future projects to be certified under this certification system.Originality/valueThis study provides valuable information on the performance of IEQ parameters of the building and points out potential IEQ areas that need improvement efforts, especially concerning current and future facilities certified under this certification system.

The «Indoor Environmental Quality» as an ergonomic risk factor at workplace : Proposal for a risk assessment strategy

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) represents a multi-factorial risk factor that encompasses diverse sub-domains that affect the worker’s life inside a building. These include indoor air quality (IAQ), lighting, thermal comfort, acoustics, drinking water, ergonomics, electromagnetic radiation, and many related factors. A workplace with high IEQ improves the workers’ physical and psychological well-being, thereby increasing their productivity. In addition, it prevents the onset of Sick Building Syndrome, Building-Related Illnesses, as well as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and other unrecognized controversial nosological disorders. There is a relationship between some IEQ aspects, and quality of video display units (VDUs) work environments as well as psychosocial risk factors. Therefore, IEQ should be considered as an ergonomic risk factor at workplace, which has to be evaluated in the framework of the mandatory occupational risk assessment strategy. In this educational presentation, I propose to apply the SOBANE strategy for the risk assessment and management of the IEQ. In this propsed model, occupational health surveillance plays a crucial role in all the steps of the SOBANE strategy (screening, observation, analysis and expertise) to collaborate for the risk assessment activities, to identify earlier medical disorders related to a poor IEQ and to promote workplace health programmes on individual risk factors that can interact with the IEQ.

The impacts of building characteristics, social psychological and cultural factors on indoor environment quality productivity belief

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) plays a key role in determining occupants' productivity at work; however, analyses of the interconnected factors among building physical, attitudinal, social and demographic components in one study are lacking. To fill this research gap, this study investigates these interconnected factors' influence on occupants’ IEQ-productivity belief, defined as a personal, subjective evaluation of the linkage between the impacts of five IEQ aspects (the quality of indoor temperature, air, natural and electric lighting, and acoustics) and productivity. A cross-sectional survey data was collected in university offices from six countries (Brazil, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Taiwan and the U.S.). Results of multiple linear regression models indicate that IEQ satisfaction is the strongest positive predictor of the IEQ-productivity belief and this relationship is stronger in private offices. Country of residence is the second primary predictor. Several attitudinal-behavioral factors, including thermal comfort, perceived ease of controlling indoor environmental features, and attitudes toward sharing controls are all positively associated with IEQ-productivity belief. Interestingly, the level of control accessibility to light switches has the strongest impact as opposed to other controls. On the other hand, group norms and conformity intention are not significant predictors. Regarding demographics, men are more likely than women to perceive the IEQs to have positive impacts on their productivity, without considering other variables in the regression model; however, women are more likely than men to consider all IEQs as having positive impacts on productivity, after considering other variables. Our findings provide suggestions for prioritizing wellness in the workplace since the early design stage.

Knowledge workers’ stated preferences for important characteristics of activity-based workspaces

ABSTRACT It is important for organizations to support employees with suitable workspaces during different activities. Increasingly the activity-based office is seen as the optimal solution, as it provides people with choice between different types of workspaces to perform specific activities. This study addresses the trade-offs knowledge workers make when choosing a workspace for performing three different categories of activities (individual concentration work, informal interactions, and formal interactions). A stated choice experiment was performed through a questionnaire among 251 Dutch knowledge workers in 14 organizations, measuring preferences for hypothetical workspaces described by their six most relevant aspects. Multinomial logit models were estimated to identify the workspace preferences during each activity. Additionally, Latent class models were estimated to find possible segments of workers with specific preferences that need to be supported differently by workplace managers. Findings showed that preferences for psychosocial design aspects (noise, workspace enclosure and control) were more important for workspace selection than indoor environmental quality aspects. They also show more differences between specific activities. Also, not everybody finds full enclosure important for individual concentrated work, and relatively older employees appear to be more critical about workspace suitability to support both formal and informal interaction.

Determining indoor environmental criteria weights through expert panels and surveys

ABSTRACTA growing focus on occupant comfort, health and wellbeing has resulted in attempts to quantify indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and to determine the relative contributions of single IEQ aspects to an overall IEQ index. The recently developed IV20 tool assesses potential IEQ to label overall IEQ, and assign separate scores for the main indoor environment (IE) areas: thermal, visual, acoustic and air quality. In the absence of objective, universally applicable IEQ weights, this paper develops and executes a methodology asking regional experts with different backgrounds to make relative comparisons between related IE aspects. The authors hypothesize that wide-ranging subjective evaluations can be combined into useful relative weights (best operational solution based on the current status of IE literature).This paper presents results from an IE expert survey on relative IE aspect weights using simple percentile prioritization and the Analytic Hierarchy Process pairwise comparison. Results are compared to expert panel judgements to ensure validity. The advantages of this combined weight determination method are (1) that the expert survey ensures a broad spectrum of opinions and allows for input from different built environment disciplines, and (2) that the expert panel has tool-specific insight, methodology awareness and state of the art knowledge.

Gender Differences in Perception of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)

There are many factors creating the internal environment of the building. These factors could be biological, physical, or chemical, and they determine the indoor environmental quality. This contribution investigates the gender differences in occupants’ perception on various aspects of indoor environmental quality (IEQ). There are many studies, how the conditions of the indoor environment affect the users’ performance, health, or comfort. Generally, women are more likely to have symptoms of SBS, such as fatigue, headache, irritated or dry eyes, nose and throat, and skin symptoms. Assessments of user´s perception were carried out at the Institute of Technology and Business situated in the city of České Budějovice, South Bohemia, Czechia. The panellists (students) indicated their immediate evaluation on eight continuous scales regarding air acceptability, odor intensity, thermal comfort, humidity comfort, visual comfort, color comfort, noise load and total satisfaction. Then the percentage of dissatisfied people (PN) was estimated. The gender differences in perception of indoor environmental quality were analysed. This knowledge is necessary and useful to develop appropriate strategies to create and maintain a sustainable internal environment for education and training. Understanding the perception of the quality of the inner environment by students is essential to increase the performance and productivity of not only students but also the academic staff. The long-term low indoor environment quality can lead to poor productivity, performance and ability to learn. It is also necessary to take into account the health of students and also academic staff in the context of the hygiene of the internal environment.

An Assessment Method for Certified Environmental Sustainability in the Preservation of Historic Buildings. A Focus on Energy Efficiency and Indoor Environmental Quality in the Italian Experience of GBC Historic Building

Abstract Environmental sustainability certification represents a strategic opportunity for improving energy efficiency, environmental quality, rational use of resources and design innovation in historic buildings, allowing greater transparency on energy uses and environmental management. To address these aspects, the Green Building Council of Italy has developed a new rating system, GBC Historic Building®, derived from the most diffused environmental sustainability assessment method worldwide (i. e. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - LEED®), in order to evaluate the sustainability level of restoration, rehabilitation and adaptation of historic buildings built before the end of World War II. This manuscript focuses on how this innovative assessment method addresses energy issues and indoor environmental quality aspects throughout the different thematic areas, introducing the new category “Historic Value”, distinctive of this protocol, aimed at improving the knowledge on the historic building and to support a sustainable approach in the restoration process.

Development of an Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment Tool for the Rating of Offices in Real Working Conditions

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.