Journal article
Indoor environmental quality, occupant satisfaction, and acute building-related health symptoms in Green Mark-certified compared with non-certified office buildings
Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) has become an important component of green building certification schemes. While green buildings are expected to provide enhanced IEQ, higher occupant satisfaction, and less risks of occupant health when compared with non-green buildings, the literature suggests inconsistent evidence due to diverse research design, small sample size, and weak statistical analysis.
This study compared several outcomes pertinent to IEQ performance in green and non-green office buildings in Singapore. Adopting a cross-sectional study design, objective measurements were taken in eight green and six non-green buildings, and satisfaction and acute health symptom risks of 367 occupants were obtained.
Green buildings exhibited lower concentration of PM2.5, bacteria, and fungi and maintained temperature and humidity more consistently compared to non-green counterparts. The mean ratings for satisfaction with temperature, humidity, lighting level, air quality, and indoor environment were higher in green buildings (with statistical significance P < 0.05).
There was statistically significant reduction in risk of occupants having headache, unusual fatigue, and irritated skin in green buildings. Although matching of buildings and occupant characteristics, survey participation bias, and sampling duration (a 1-week snapshot) of IEQ monitoring remain as limitations, this study offered positive association of green buildings with qualitatively and quantitatively measured performance of IEQ.
Language: | English |
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Year: | 2019 |
Pages: | 112-129 |
ISSN: | 16000668 and 09056947 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1111/ina.12515 |
ORCIDs: | 0000-0002-1145-0037 , Wargocki, Pawel and 0000-0002-2957-1152 |
Acute health symptom Certified office buildings Green buildings Indoor environmental quality Occupant satisfaction Post occupancy evaluation
Adult Air Pollution, Indoor Cross-Sectional Studies Environmental Monitoring Facility Design and Construction Female Health Status Humans Humidity Male Middle Aged Personal Satisfaction Singapore Surveys and Questionnaires acute health symptom certified office buildings green buildings indoor environmental quality occupant satisfaction post occupancy evaluation