•A total of 925 papers were searched and 106 articles were screened for deep review.•Green buildings generally performed better than the conventional counterparts.•A significant gap between the ...designed and operational energy use was found.•The key findings of objective IEQ and occupant satisfaction were summarized.•The performances of green buildings in China and the U.S. were compared.
This paper aims to review the published researches on post-occupancy performance of green buildings in terms of energy use, indoor environment quality (IEQ) and occupant satisfaction. A total of 925 related papers were searched and 106 articles were screened for deep review. The study also compared the actual operating performance of green buildings in China and the United States, with information collected from previous research. The findings of literature review can be summarized as follows: 1) Though with some exceptional cases, the energy performance of green buildings was on average better than the conventional counterparts with similar climate conditions; 2) A significant gap between the designed and operational energy consumption was found, and lots of green buildings saved less energy than expected; 3) No clear relationship between the actual energy use and the green building certification level could be observed; 4) The actual IEQ conditions of green buildings were not comparable in different countries due to the variance in design criterions and operation modes; 5) Green buildings generally had higher occupants’ satisfaction level than conventional buildings, although the subjective data from the U.S. did not support this inference. Furthermore, this study proposed two areas worthy further investigations in the field of post-occupancy evaluation on green buildings, including new data collection technologies and performance optimization at the comprehensive level.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) has significant impacts on office occupants' productivity and these impacts differ according to the type of office. The present study focuses on a special type of ...open-plan offices, university open-plan research offices (UOROs), and aims to study how the IEQ of this type of offices affects the occupants' productivity. A four-part IEQ assessment framework for the University Open-plan Research Office (UORO) is first proposed. Then the investigation is conducted based on survey responses collected from 231 people who are working in UOROs from 19 universities in China. The analysis results show a clear picture of (1) how the office productivity is affected by the five key IEQ aspects (layout, air quality, thermal comfort, lighting and acoustic environment), (2) how these five key IEQ aspects are affected by their corresponding sub-factors, such as conversation noise, and (3) how occupants' perception of sub-factors are affected by individual factors, such as occupant demographics and work activity. The results also emphasize the quality of acoustic environment has the greatest influence on the occupants' productivity in UOROs and imply occupants working in UOROs have higher requirements for acoustic environment than in other common types of open-plan offices. Based on the analysis, a decision-making strategy is also presented for the evaluation and improvement of the IEQ of UOROs.
•The impacts of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on work productivity in university open-plan research offices (UOROs) are studied.•How the qualities of key IEQ aspects in UOROs are affected by their sub-factors are analyzed.•Individual factors, such as occupant demographics and work activity, have significant impacts on the perception of IEQ in UOROs.•Occupants working in UOROs could have higher requirements for acoustic environment than in general open-plan offices.•A decision-making strategy for UORO's IEQ evaluation and improvement is also proposed.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Green-building certification systems aim at improving the design and operation of buildings. However, few detailed studies have investigated whether a green rating leads to higher occupant ...satisfaction with indoor environmental quality (IEQ). This research builds on previous work to address this. Based on the analysis of a subset of the Center for the Built Environment Occupant Indoor Environmental Quality survey database featuring 11,243 responses from 93 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-rated office buildings, this study explores the relationships between the points earned in the IEQ category and the satisfaction expressed by occupants with the qualities of their indoor environment. It was found that the achievement of a specific IEQ credit did not substantively increase satisfaction with the corresponding IEQ factor, while the rating level, and the product and version under which certification had been awarded, did not affect workplace satisfaction. There could be several reasons for this, some of which are outside the control of designers and beyond the scope of rating systems based primarily on design intent. The challenges and priorities facing building professionals, researchers and green building certification systems are discussed for the creation of more comfortable, higher performing and healthier green-rated buildings.
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BFBNIB, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Indoor air quality (IAQ) has significant impacts on office occupants' productivity, well-being and health. Addressing IAQ not only means ensuring that contaminants are below harmful concentration but ...also that people exposed are satisfied. However, current standards often lack clear metrics and thresholds dedicated to Perceived Air Quality (PAQ). Therefore, it is important to examine whether there is a prevalent method in the literature that could lead towards standardization. This review study constitutes the first comprehensive critical exploration of the subject. Adopting the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, the objective is to synthesize and compare diverse methods (subjective vs instrumental evaluations; object of judgment; component of perception; rating scales) for assessing PAQ in office buildings, based on insights from 93 field and laboratory studies. Results show that the assessment of PAQ predominantly relies on questionnaires (90 %), with a very smaller percentage using alternative methods such as olfactory indices, diaries, interviews, sensory testing, and text mining techniques. Workers’ satisfaction is the most commonly evaluated aspect in PAQ questionnaires, often measured on a 7-point Likert scale. Odours are typically characterized in terms of intensity by utilizing a continuous 6-point unidirectional scale. Olfactory stimuli are usually considered with a negative connotation, being the absence of odour the target of IAQ design. The present study proposes a future research agenda that introduces the importance of a perceptual approach to evaluate the indoor olfactory environments (or smellscapes), aiming to create working spaces that are not only odour-neutral but also olfactorily pleasant.
•This study synthetises perceived air quality (PAQ) assessment methods in offices.•93 field and laboratory studies were systematically reviewed.•37 existing PAQ evaluation scales are compared.•The limits of traditional odour control approach are highlighted.•An alternative indoor smellscape framework is proposed.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Understanding occupants’ satisfaction with their environment is an important step to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ). These satisfaction data are limited to Singaporean commercial ...buildings. We surveyed (N = 666) occupant satisfaction with 18 IEQ parameters in seven Green Mark certified air-conditioned commercial buildings in Singapore. About 78% of the participants expressed satisfaction with their overall workspace environment. Occupants were most satisfied with flexibility of dress code (86% satisfaction), electrical lighting (84%) and cleanliness (82%), and most dissatisfied with sound privacy (42% dissatisfaction), personal control (32%) and temperature (30%). We found that satisfaction with cleanliness has the highest impact to overall workspace environment satisfaction. Our results suggest achieving high occupant satisfaction for some IEQ factors is harder than others, which suggests the premise of singular satisfaction rating (e.g., 80%) that applies to all IEQ parameters may not be reliable and representative. We determined that the major contributors to thermal dissatisfaction were insufficient air movement and overcooled workspaces. Occupants in open plan office were unhappy with the noise produced by their nearby colleagues. We also found that several IEQ variables (odors, air movement, available space, overall privacy, sound privacy and temperature) which are not statistically significant to the overall workspace satisfaction on their own, but their impacts becomes substantial when these IEQ variables are merged into larger environmental factors (i.e., Perceived Air Quality, Acoustics, Layout and Thermal). These results can support the development of an IEQ benchmarks for commercial buildings in Singapore.
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•We conducted post-occupancy surveys in 7 commercial buildings in Singapore.•78% of respondents were satisfied with the overall workspace environment.•Highest satisfaction: dress code, electrical lighting, and cleanliness.•Highest dissatisfaction: sound privacy, personal control, and temperature.•PAQ, Cleanliness and Acoustics greatly impact overall environment satisfaction.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Monitoring Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is of growing interest for health and wellbeing. New building standards, climate targets and adoption of homeworking strategies are creating needs for ...scalable, monitoring solutions with onward Cloud connectivity. Low-cost Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors have potential to address these needs, enabling development of bespoke multimodal devices. Here, we present insights into the development of a MEMS-based Internet of things (IoT) enabled multimodal device for IEQ monitoring. A study was conducted to establish the inter-device variability and validity to reference standard sensors/devices. For the multimodal, IEQ monitor, intraclass correlations and Bland-Altman analyses indicated good inter-sensor reliability and good-to-excellent agreement for most sensors. All low-cost sensors were found to respond to environmental changes. Many sensors reported low accuracy but high precision meaning they could be calibrated against reference sensors to increase accuracy. The multimodal device developed here was identified as being fit-for-purpose, providing general indicators of environmental changes for continuous IEQ monitoring.
•There is a need for low-cost sensors for continuous monitoring in buildings.•Sensors evaluated can provide an indication of environmental quality and changes.•Low-cost sensors were found to have high precision but low accuracy off-the-shelf.•Developed devices had excellent inter-sensor reliability.•Accuracy of low-cost sensors mean they are unsuitable for standard compliancy.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Activity-based working (ABW) provides office workers with a variety of indoor workspaces purposively designed to accommodate different tasks. Despite an increased use of ABW, studies focusing on its ...impact and the resultant office design are yet to follow suit. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by providing empirical evidence from studies conducted before and after relocation from contemporary open-plan offices to ABW spaces. Results from post-occupancy evaluation (POE) surveys (n = 896 responses), spot measurements of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and step-count monitoring (one case study; n = 20 participants) before and after relocation are reported. A total of 10 workspaces participated (six combi and four ABW) in this study. Design features were documented and analyzed. While there were limited differences in the measured IEQ conditions between office layouts investigated here, ABW workspaces yielded significantly higher satisfaction results on key IEQ dimensions, perceived productivity and health. Office layout was also found as a significant (or nearly significant) predictor of occupants' lightly active and sedentary time but did not affect occupants' daily step counts and distance they travelled. These results highlight the significance and impact of office layout and human-centred approach to design on occupants' satisfaction, perceived productivity and incidental physical activity opportunities.
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BFBNIB, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Despite the fact that buildings are designed for occupants in principle, evidence suggests buildings are often uncomfortable compared to the requirements of standards; difficult to control by ...occupants; and, operated inefficiently with regards to occupants’ preferences and presence. Meanwhile, practitioners –architects, engineers, technology companies, building managers and operators, and policymakers – lack the knowledge, tools, and precedent to design and operate buildings optimally considering the complex and diverse nature of occupants. Building on the success of IEA EBC Annex 66 (“Definition and simulation of occupant behavior in buildings”; 2013–2017), a follow-up IEA EBC Annex 79 (“Occupant-centric building design and operation”; 2018–2023) has been developed to address gaps in knowledge, practice, and technology. Annex 79 involves international researchers from diverse disciplines like engineering, architecture, computer science, psychology, and sociology. Annex 79 and this review paper have four main areas of focus: (1) multi-domain environmental exposure, building interfaces, and human behavior; (2) data-driven occupant modeling strategies and digital tools; (3) occupant-centric building design; and (4) occupant-centric building operation. The objective of this paper is to succinctly report on the leading research of the above topics and articulate the most pressing research needs – planned to be addressed by Annex 79 and beyond.
•Challenges and priorities in occupant-centric building design and operation.•Multi-domain occupant exposure, building interfaces, and human behavior.•Strategies and digital tools for data-driven occupant modeling.•Simulation-aided occupant-centric building design for comfort and energy.•Occupant-centric building controls and operations to adapt to occupants.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, people spent on average around 90% of their time indoors. Now more than ever, with work-from-home orders in place, it is crucial that we radically rethink the ...design and operation of buildings. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) directly affects the comfort and well-being of occupants. When IEQ is compromised, occupants are at increased risk for many diseases that are exacerbated by both social and economic forces. In the U.S. alone, the annual cost attributed to sick building syndrome in commercial workplaces is estimated to be between $10 billion to $70 billion. It is imperative to understand how parameters that drive IEQ can be designed properly and how buildings can be operated to provide ideal IEQ to safeguard health. While IEQ is a fertile area of scholarship, there is a pressing need for a systematic understanding of how IEQ factors impact occupant health. During extreme events, such as a global pandemic, designers, facility managers, and occupants need pragmatic guidance on reducing health risks in buildings. This paper answers ten questions that explore the effects of buildings on the health of occupants. The study establishes a foundation for future work and provides insights for new research directions and discoveries.
•How buildings influence occupant health (physical, mental and social well-being) is explained.•Existing practices, codes, and processes to prevent negative health impacts are reviewed.•Social and economic impacts resulting from unhealthy buildings are presented.•Lessons learned about health in buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic is presented.•Opportunities for future research and discovery to achieve healthy buildings are discussed.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
This study aims to explore the actual indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in Chinese green office buildings, based on the large-scale and long-term measurement data. A total of 41 green office ...buildings throughout Cold zone, Hot-Summer-Cold-Winter (HSCW) zone and Hot-Summer-Warm-Winter (HSWW) zone were measured with 198 integrated environmental sensors from June, 2017 to August, 2018. The key findings of this study can be summarized as follows: 1) Indoor thermal comfort did not show a significant difference between climate zones in summer, while thermal environment of Cold zone was much warmer and drier than the counterpart of HSCW and HSWW zone in winter. The overall indoor thermal environment met the standard, although several thermal problems were found; 2) Indoor CO2 concentration was relatively high in summer or winter and low in transition seasons. The median values of indoor CO2 concentration were far below the threshold of 1000 ppm; 3) Indoor PM2.5 concentration was generally lower in HSWW zone and higher in winter. The median values of indoor PM2.5 concentration generally conformed to the standard guideline; 4) The median values of illuminance ranged from 340 lux to 522 lux and all of them reached the lower limit of 300 lux for common offices. The above results were compared with other findings from previous literature and several differences were illustrated. In addition, the correlations between indoor and outdoor environment were found. Other possible factors influencing IEQ were discussed qualitatively.
•Indoor environmental quality in Chinese green office buildings was measured.•41 green office buildings were measured with 198 sensors for more than one year.•The IEQ results vary in different seasons and climate zones.•The overall IEQ performance in Chinese green office buildings meets the standard.•IEQ can be influenced by outdoor weather, building operation and human factors.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
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