Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment Research Articles

Toward configuring healthier classrooms: developing indoor environmental quality assessment indicators

ABSTRACT Classrooms serve as essential indoor environments for students, as they spend a significant portion of their developmental years within them. This has prompted a critical set of questioning of these indoor environments, presenting the emergence of understanding how they affect health and comfort, as well as the importance of assessing these effects. Currently, one of the most advantageous methods of assessment is the Green building Rating Tools (GBRTs). There is an abundance of rating tools that aid in assessing the performance of many types of buildings’ Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). However, maintaining a healthy classroom environment (HCE) necessitates the integration of health and comfort aspects alongside any classroom assessment process. Thus, the primary aim of the current research was to identify the definition of HCE attributes. Moreover, the research aims to detect areas that are yet to be considered or need more attention of the current IEQ assessment indicators, regarding promoting and assessing any classroom environmental healthiness. This was done by revisiting and delving into the IEQ-health-comfort relation, and, moreover, analyzing the attributes which verify the healthiness of a classroom environment and indicators which are traditionally employed to assess IEQ within existing rating systems. A comparative analysis methodology was used to identify key indicators, commons and correlations, in order to determine the extent of compatibility and differences. This analysis has resulted in a new list of 60 composite assessment indicators that concentrate on the health and comfort aspects, referred to as HCE indicators, a step toward healthier classrooms.

Indoor environmental quality assessment in passively ventilated classrooms in Germany and estimation of ventilation energy losses

In this field study we present an approach for the comprehensive and room-specific assessment of parameters with the overall aim to realize energy-efficient provision of hygienically harmless and thermally comfortable indoor environmental quality in naturally ventilated non-residential buildings. The approach is based on (i) conformity assessment of room design parameters, (ii) empirical determination of theoretically expected occupant-specific supply air flow rates and corresponding air exchange rates, (iii) experimental determination of real occupant-specific supply air flow rates and corresponding air exchange rates, (iv) measurement of indoor environmental exposure conditions of T, RH, cCO2, cPM2.5 and cTVOC, and (v) determination of real energy demands for the prevailing ventilation scheme. Underlying assessment criteria comprise the indoor environmental parameters of category II of EN 16798-1: Temperature T = 20 °C–24 °C, and relative humidity RH = 25 %–60 % as well as the guide values of the German Federal Environment Agency for cCO2cPM2.5 and cTVOC of 1000 ppm, 15 μg m−3, and 1 mg m−3, respectively.Investigation objects are six naturally ventilated classrooms of a German secondary school. Major factors influencing indoor environmental quality in these classrooms are the specific room volume per occupant and the window opening area. It is concluded that the rigorous implementation of ventilation recommendations laid down by the German Federal Environment Agency is ineffective with respect to anticipated indoor environmental parameters and inefficient with respect to ventilation energy losses on the order of about 10 kWh m−2 a−1 to 30 kWh m−2 a−1.

Analysing the potential of open hotel review databases for IEQ assessment: a text mining approach

ABSTRACT Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) significantly affects occupants’ well-being and comfort. Assessing IEQ typically involves post-occupancy evaluation (POE), a method that can be time-consuming and particularly challenging in hotel settings, where guests may be disrupted by frequent requests for feedback. Hence, this paper investigates the capability of text mining to extract valuable information for IEQ assessment, such as identifying the main causes of IEQ dissatisfaction, detecting combined occurrences of IEQ aspects, and exploring the relationship between IEQ dissatisfaction and hotel attractiveness. To this aim, the study analysed 1494 five-star hotels in Europe, comprising 515,738 reviews. Among them, 13.1% contained references to keywords related to IEQ aspects. The major cause of dissatisfaction in hotels is acoustic (42.7% of the reviews), followed by thermal (35.7%), visual (11.1%) comfort, and IAQ (10.5%). Additionally, 9580 reviews demonstrated the co-occurrence of multiple IEQ aspects, highlighting the interplay between different aspects. Furthermore, the reviewer score, reflecting the hotel’s attractiveness, showed an inverse relationship with the percentage of dissatisfied guests regarding IEQ, highlighting the impact of the indoor environment on the hotel rating. Overall, text mining is effective in supporting IEQ assessment and the study underscores the effect of addressing IEQ aspects on a facility's overall appeal.

Occupants’ mood states in evaluating indoor environmental quality (IEQ) acceptance

Previous studies have developed many models for indoor environmental quality (IEQ) assessment. However, almost none of them included mood states that could impact occupants’ IEQ perceptions significantly. This study developed an IEQ acceptance model that considers occupants’ perception of thermal comfort, visual quality, and acoustic quality, as well as their mood as an additional IEQ parameter. The model constants are evaluated by a Bayesian approach with the prior estimates determined from seven existing IEQ models including 4 parameters (without mood). Two hundred fifty-nine students’ perceptions against the five parameters collected in a university library were used as the observed data to update the prior beliefs. The results indicated that involving mood in the IEQ acceptance model could improve the model's accuracy more significantly. Additionally, the updated IEQ acceptance model estimated that students with positive moods are more likely to accept the overall IEQ than those with negative or neutral moods.

The Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality on Occupant Satisfaction in Commercial Buildings: A Comparison of Building Expert Opinions and Residents’ Experiences

This paper investigates the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) factors influencing occupant satisfaction in commercial buildings in Iran, contrasting the views of building experts (architects and engineers) with those of building occupants. Employing the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP), this study focuses on the four primary IEQ factors: thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort, and acoustic comfort. The study aims to bridge the gap between expert evaluations and occupant perceptions of IEQ factors in commercial buildings in Iran. By examining the disparities in prioritising IEQ factors between these two groups, the study sheds light on the complexities of IEQ assessment and highlights the importance of considering diverse perspectives in optimising indoor environments. Our methodology includes a survey conducted among 30 building experts (15 architects and 15 building engineers) and 102 occupants, employing FAHP to derive the relative importance weights of each IEQ factor. The results highlight significant disparities between architects, engineers, and occupants in prioritising these factors. Architects emphasise visual comfort (42%), while engineers and occupants view thermal comfort (53% and 41%) as the most crucial factor for occupant satisfaction. The study underscores the complexity of IEQ in commercial buildings and the diverse perspectives influencing its assessment. It contributes to the broader discourse on optimising IEQ, emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses both technical expertise and occupant experience.

Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment of Train Cabins and Passenger Waiting Areas: A Case Study of Nigeria

The adequacy of the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in mass transit microenvironments is crucial to the well-being of exposed commuters. By 2050, many developing tropical countries will host even more megacities, which will feature an increase in people mobility and higher occupancy density. The paucity of IEQ studies, the technology gap, and inadequate policy measures to assure safer and sustainable mobility in many developing tropics have reinforced the current study objective. Also, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the IEQ links and risks to health in transport, which, given the climate peculiarities, transport reforms, and huge commuter traffic in Nigeria, inform the study motivation. The indoor air quality (CO2, PM, VOCs, NO2), thermal, acoustic, and visual environments were objectively assessed in train passenger cabins and waiting areas, during 15 trips in the dry and rainy seasons in Nigeria. The results were analyzed by following the IEQ requirements defined in the ISO, CEN, ASHRAE, and SAE standards. The results indicate gaps in the IAQ (inadequate ventilation in 9 trains), defective thermal comfort (9 trains), exceedance in the PM limit (PM10: 47.9–115 μg/m3, PM2.5: 22.5–51.3 μg/m3), noise (Leq range: 64–85 dBA), and low illuminance levels (10 trains), hence the need for IEQ, interventions, stakeholder awareness, and broader IEQ studies on transport cabins in these regions.

A MULTICRITERIA METHOD TO IDENTIFY AND RANK IEQ CRITICALITIES: MEASUREMENTS AND APPLICATIONS FOR AN EXISTING SCHOOL BUILDING

This study proposes a method to obtain a ranking of the critical issues related to Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)in existing school buildings . A multi-criteria method for a comprehensive evaluation of IEQ in school buildings is described and discussed. The method includes data collection, field measurements, and subjective investigations. The novelty of the study does not lie in the single stages of which the method is composed (for example in the phase involving field measurements, there are consolidated procedures in the technical and scientific literature to conduct them), but rather in the collection and rationalization of a complete and articulated assessment process that can guide the technicians and managers in the decision making. To show the whole proposed evaluation method, the case study of the university classrooms of the School of Engineering of Pisa was studied. From the application of the evaluation method to the case study, a rank of the IEQ critical issues observed and a rank of the most IEQ critical environments was therefore obtained. The study also focused on the impact of weighting schemes of the IEQ assessment results. Then the results of the case study were discussed by evaluating the impact of alternative weighing schemes present in the scientific literature. The discussion shows that to identify the most critical environmental factors, the choice of the weighting scheme is extremely important although the greatest weight does not always correspond to the most critical environmental factor. The presented results can interest not only technical personnel involved in IEQ assessments and interventions for its improvement, but also researchers investigating IEQ that intend to compare methodologies and weighting schemes.

The IEQ Occupant Manikin: a holistic indoor environmental quality assessment tool

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) measurement is a fundamental part of quantifying the performance of any space. Performing measurements and interpreting the results require expensive equipment and specialist knowledge for each parameter. Since holistic IEQ assessment requires investigation of multiple parameters across atmospheric, thermal, acoustic, and visual indoor environment, this is a comprehensive and expensive task. The IEQ Occupant Manikin concept presents an operational holistic IEQ assessment based on measurements of various parameters. The paper presents the development of a prototype manikin equipped with various sensors strategically positioned to best represent the exposure occupants would experience. Since the manikin also physically mimics an occupant in the space, the term occupant-centric measurements is used. In addition, the paper presents a preliminary methodology for the assessment, weighting, and aggregation of individual IEQ parameters towards an overall holistic IEQ assessment. Practical implementation of the work is discussed, including the potential implications for standards on IEQ measurement. The paper reflects upon the future perspectives on using machine learning for a black box modelling approach to tackle the complex issues with the interaction effects between IEQ parameters and relative IEQ parameter weights for holistic assessment. Finally, the paper presents suggestions for future work on the IEQ Occupant Manikin concept.

Assessment of indoor environmental quality and seasonal well-being of students in a combined historic technical school building in Slovakia.

One of the major present challenges in the building sector is to construct sustainable and low-energy buildings with a healthy, safe, and comfortable environment. This study is designed to explore long-term impacts of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) parameters in a historic technical school building on the health and comfort of students. The main objective is to identify environmental problems in schools and to direct public policy towards the enhancement of in-service historic buildings. The collected data on five consecutive days in various seasons from five different classrooms indicate allergy in 45% and asthma in 10% of students. Environmental factors, such as temperature, draught, noise, or light, affected 51% of students' attention. Low temperature, unpleasant air, noise, and draught were found to be the most frequent concerns for students. The lowest temperature was measured during spring at 17.6°C, the lowest humidity of 21.1% in winter, the largest CO2 amount in the air in autumn at 2041ppm level, and the greatest total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) as 514µg/m3. The experimental and statistical analysis results suggest the necessity of a comprehensive restoration of the building with a focus on enhancement of IEQ as well as replacement of old non-standard materials. An effective ventilation system is also necessary. The building requires major renovations to preserve its historic features while safeguarding the well-being and comfort of students and staff. Further research is needed on acoustics, lighting, and energy factors as well as the health effects of old building materials.

Indoor Environmental Quality and Comfort in Offices: A Review

People spend about 90% of their time in closed spaces such as residential and office environments, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) has effects on their health, well-being, overall comfort and work productivity. The IEQ domains (i.e., thermal, acoustic, visual and indoor air quality) are able to influence office users’ work day and even cause the onset of diseases. This review aims at investigating IEQ in offices and the multidomain combined effects on occupants’ overall comfort. Studies published between 2016 and 2022 were summarized, focusing on four research questions formulated to deepen the knowledge on (i) IEQ perception and evaluation, (ii) IEQ indexes and parameters, (iii) factors that influence comfort perception and (iv) IEQ and comfort representation in space and time. For these research questions, a total of 29, 19, 10 and 9 studies, found on the Scopus database through a keywords search, were considered, respectively. The studies were included only if they appraised a multidomain approach. The results obtained for each research question reveal that: (i) Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) surveys are often applied to understand how occupants perceive IEQ, and in-field monitoring based on low-cost sensors is implemented more and more to acquire IEQ data, (ii) a set of indexes and parameters for IEQ assessment is not standardized yet, although some parameters are commonly used, (iii) personal factors like age and gender, and contextual factors like workstation location and office type, influence occupants’ comfort perception and (iv) dashboards are used to allow office end-users to visualize the indoor conditions of the environment.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ): A Comparison between TOPSIS- and PROMETHEE-Based Approaches for Indirect Eliciting of Category Weights.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) has received a great deal of attention in recent years due to the relationship between worker comfort and productivity. Many academics have studied IEQ from both a building design and an IEQ assessment perspective. This latter line of research has mostly used direct eliciting to obtain weights assigned to IEQ categories such as thermal comfort, visual comfort, acoustic comfort, and indoor air quality. We found only one application of indirect eliciting in the literature. Such indirect eliciting operates without the need for imprecise direct weighing and requires only comfort evaluations, which is in line with the Industry 5.0 paradigm of individual, dynamic, and integrated IEQ evaluation. In this paper, we use a case study to compare the only indirect eliciting model already applied to IEQ, based on TOPSIS, to an indirect eliciting method based on PROMETHEE and to a classical direct eliciting method (AHP). The results demonstrate the superiority of indirect eliciting in reconstructing individual preferences related to perceived global comfort.

A review of approaches and applications in building stock energy and indoor environment modelling

Current energy and climate policies are formulated and implemented to mitigate and adapt to climate change. To inform relevant building policies, two bottom-up building stock modelling approach: 1) archetype-based and 2) Building-by-building have been developed. This paper presents the main characteristics and applications of these two approaches and evaluates and compares their ability to support policy making. Because of lower data requirements and computational cost, archetype-based modelling approaches are still the mainstream approach to stock-level energy modelling, life cycle assessment, and indoor environmental quality assessment. Building-by-building approaches can better capture the heterogeneous characteristics of each building and are emerging due to the development of data acquisition and computational techniques. The model uncertainties exist in both models which may affect the reliability of outputs, while stochastic archetype models and timeless digital twin model have the potential to address the issue. System dynamics modelling approach can describe and address the dynamics and complexity of often-conflicting policies and achieve co-benefit of multiple policy objectives. This paper aims to provide comprehensive knowledge on building stock modelling for modellers and policymakers, so they could use a building stock model with an appropriate user interface without having to fully understand the underlying algorithms or complexities.

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.

Tradeoff between well-being of students and cost of greening schools in arid regions

PurposeSchools should be adequately built and operated to protect students' health. Green building rating systems, including Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), assist the construction industry in improving both the resource efficiency and indoor environmental quality of its buildings. Construction professionals may waive some green modifications and available optional credits due to their high costs or construction complexities. This study investigates whether cost-effective green modifications can adequately address the student health.Design/methodology/approachIn an effort to identify how school projects in Dubai, UAE prioritized LEED credits related to occupant well-being, the study identified eight LEED credits (called “Health and wellbeing” credits). Cost data from a sample of nine Dubai schools were used to develop an indicator, named the Feasibility Index Score (FIS), to quantify the attractiveness of LEED credits based on their cost and implementation complexity. Physical measurements taken from the sample schools give a window into current indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions of schools in the local region, while FIS provides insight into potential financial barriers towards improving these conditions.FindingsThe authors identified eight “Health and wellbeing” credits, which may net up to 14 points or 13% of all possible LEED points. Despite this, assessments of the sample schools revealed that six of the “Health and wellbeing” credits exhibited relatively low FIS values. This may cause these credits to be waived when lower tiers of LEED certifications are desired.Research limitations/implicationsA sample of nine schools was chosen for this research; further investigation using a greater sample size is recommended.Practical implicationsThe paper's IEQ assessment indicates the importance of health-related credits and suggests implementing them regardless of their FIS.Originality/valueThis paper recognizes the importance of providing more weight to credits that directly impact the health of occupants, particularly when upgrading existing structures.

Appraisal of indoor environment quality (IEQ) in nearly Zero energy Building (nZEB): A literature review

Nearly zero energy buildings (nZEB) are considered a key measure to reduce energy consumption in buildings. However, there is growing evidence that nZEB design strategies may impact indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Most of the current research on nZEB has focused on the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of nZEB, with less research on the IEQ of nZEB. This literature reviewed 25 case studies on IEQ assessment to determine the actual IEQ performance in nZEB and the impact of design strategies on IEQ. The results showed that all four parameters of IEQ performance assessment have yet to be included in the scope of IEQ assessment. In addition to physical parameter measurements and criteria, subjective measurements should be the primary determinant of IEQ. Moreover, the analysis shows that overheating, poor air quality, thermal discomfort, and Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) are common IEQ risk factors reported. At the same time, the building envelope, HVAC system, and control system are the main factors contributing to the increase in IEQ risk factors. This review will provide practical reference values and recommendations for building professionals in future studies.

Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment Model (IEQ) for Houses

Housing and its indoor environment influence its inhabitants’ comfort, productivity, and health. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly important to investigate the factors that affect indoor environmental quality. Thus, numerous sustainability assessment systems have been developed to evaluate building performance. This paper presents a model for evaluating the indoor environment of housing located in the Biobio region of Chile, integrating aspects that influence its overall quality. The research methodology proposes a strategy to identify appropriate evaluation criteria and contextualized standards. The application of the model made it possible to identify the level of performance of studio dwellings for each category, namely air quality, thermal comfort, acoustics, and lighting, as well as the overall evaluation of the IEQ. The results reflect that the lowest levels of performance in the three houses were with respect to the acoustic evaluation criteria, while the highest levels of performance were for the air quality evaluation criteria.

Indoor Environmental Quality assessment of mixed-mode ventilation with ceiling fans in the tropics

Mixed-mode ventilation in buildings has a potential for significant energy savings. However, previous attempts in the tropics were unsuccessful due to the hot and humid weather. Indeed, there is little to no natural ventilation potential in tropical climates if conventional air conditioning systems are used. Additionally, existing studies typically do not consider the noise and air quality constraints while the performance of mixed-mode buildings is susceptible to outdoor conditions. Using elevated air movement has proven to be an effective strategy to offset the rise in the room temperature setpoint without sacrificing occupants’ thermal comfort as it helps dissipate body heat through the convective cooling effect. Hence, this study aims at investigating the total indoor environment quality (IEQ) performance of mixed-mode ventilation operations with various air speeds based on tropically acclimatized subjects. To this end, a testbed was designed and constructed in Singapore, consisting of a variable air volume (VAV) system, ceiling fans with continuous speed control, personal ventilation (PV) desks, and plenum acoustic windows. Five operating modes have been tested: fully air-conditioned (AC) mode using VAV alone, hybrid air conditioned (AC+PV) mode using VAV and PV desks, concurrent ventilation (CV) mode using PV desks with the windows partially opened, natural ventilation (NV) mode with the windows fully opened, and acoustic natural ventilation (Acoustic NV) mode with the windows partially opened. 57 subjects were invited to the experiment and asked to complete a comprehensive IEQ survey under 16 different indoor conditions, which are combinations of these operating modes and air speeds ranging from 0.10 to 1.15 m/s. Experiment results show that NV and CV in Singapore can achieve more than 90% thermal acceptability with adequate air movement. More importantly, the median standard effective temperature (SET*) for thermal neutrality is approximately 3°C higher when operating in NV as compared to AC+PV or CV modes, indicating adaptation even when the modes switches are within the same day.

Integrated assessment of the extreme climatic conditions, thermal performance, vulnerability, and well-being in low-income housing in the subtropical climate of Australia

Social housing stock worldwide can be characterised by poor indoor environmental quality and building thermal performance, which along with the increasing urban overheating put the low-income population at higher health risk. The dwellings’ thermal performance and the indoor environmental quality are often overlooked in the context of social housing compared to the general building stock in Australia. In the present study, the synergies between urban microclimate, indoor air temperature, housing characteristics and quality of life of residents have been investigated by employing subjective and objective assessment of indoor environmental quality in 106 low-income dwellings during the winter and summer of 2018–2019 in New South Wales. It further examines the impact of urban overheating and levels of income on indoor thermal conditions. The subjective method involved assessing the links between the type of housing in which low-income people live, energy bills, self-reported thermal sensation, health and well-being, and occupants’ behaviours. The results show that many dwellings operated outside the health and safety temperature limits for substantial periods. Indoor air temperatures reached 39.8 °C and the minimum temperature was about 5 °C. While the upper acceptability limit for indoor air temperature was 25.6 °C for 80 % satisfaction, periods of up to about 997 and 114 continuous hours above 26 °C and 32 °C were found in overheated buildings, respectively. Indoor overheating hours above 32 °C were recorded up to 238 % higher in Sydney’s western areas compared to eastern and inner suburbs. Similarly, residents in westerns suburbs and regions experience more outdoor overheating hours than those living near the eastern suburbs. This study highlights the interrelationships between ambient temperature, housing design, income, thermal comfort, energy use, and health and well-being in the context of social housing. The evidence of winter underheating and summer overheating suggests that improvements in building quality and urban heat mitigation are required to minimise the impacts of poor-performing housing and local climate.

An assessment of indoor environmental quality in COVID-19 affected houses: a case study in Banda Aceh, Indonesia

PurposeDuring the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021 in Indonesia, the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of local houses occupied by infected occupants was adversely affected. This paper aims to appraise the IEQ of the affected Banda Aceh houses with insights into enabling them to be resilient against the negative impacts of the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative field measurement in the case study of five concrete houses located in urban areas which are affected by IEQ factors: (1) indoor air quality (IAQ), (2) thermal comfort and (3) visual comfort, compared against the Indonesian National standard (SNI). The case study involved measurement of the first two factors over 24 h, while the third factor was measured during sun hours. Considering the limitations of the measuring tools for logging available data in this research, air quality is measured from 8 am to 10 pm.FindingsThermal comfort in the affected houses is generally regarded as warm, optimal and cool comfort, indicated by the effective temperatures of between 20.5 and 27.1°C. Frequently closed windows, limited land area and access had caused a lack of air circulation, with air velocity of dominantly 0 m/s in the houses. The illuminance of natural light received in three houses was insufficient – less than 120 lux as compared with the other two. This study found an uptrend of higher air temperature and relative humidity in the affected houses resulting in poorer IAQ; conversely, the higher the air velocity in the houses, the fewer the indoor air pollutants such as formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and carbon dioxide (CO2).Originality/valueThis study is a pioneer in evaluating IEQ in houses occupied by COVID-19 patients in Indonesia, especially in dwelling cases in Aceh Province. It also encompasses environmental and societal challenges to sustaining resilient buildings in pandemic hit regions.

Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment and Occupant Satisfaction: A Post-Occupancy Evaluation of a UAE University Office Building

As occupants spend almost 90% of their day indoors, especially in the workplaces, Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) plays a primary role in health and wellbeing, productivity, and building energy consumption. Adopting the IEQ and Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE), data has been gathered from nine multilevel open offices within a university building located in Al Ain, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for three winter months. Physical parameters were monitored using data loggers to record the main IEQ factors. In parallel, POE questionnaires have been distributed to obtain occupants’ satisfaction with the IEQ and health-related symptoms experienced in the workspaces. The IEQ and POE data have shown slightly above or below the recommended ranges with the occupants similarly and slightly dissatisfied with the building. The thermal comfort revealed concerns with 99% of temperatures below international standards where 55% of the survey respondents reported “too cold”. The IAQ measurements showed 45% and 30% of the respondents reporting “stuffy air” and “headache” which indicated symptoms that could be tracked to other parameters or a combination of several, and the findings have been discussed in detail in this paper. This research contributed to identifying correlations between measured data and occupant satisfaction and identifying common IEQ defects and their sources to better communicate with facility managers and architects.