Sensory evaluation of the air in 14 office buildings: Part of an interdisciplinary SBS study in Germany

The perceived air quality was assessed in eight mechanically and six naturally ventilated office buildings. On average, 44 offices were investigated in each building. A panel of 11 trained subjects assessed the perceived air quality in the spaces directly in the sensory unit decipol. The average perceived air quality in the 14 office buildings ranged from 3.4 to 7.8 decipol.

The perceived air quality averaged 4.1 decipol in the mechanically ventilated buildings and 6.0 decipol in the naturally ventilated buildings. Within the buildings there was a large variation in perceived air quality between the offices. The results indicate that the occupants' behaviour is important for the pollution load and the air quality in offices.