Framing holistic indoor environment: Definitions of comfort, health and well-being

Abstract

In research and assessment of indoor environmental quality (IEQ), the terms ‘Comfort’, ‘Health’ and ‘Well-being’ are often used interchangeably without a clear definition of terms or effects on conditions for occupants. This calls for a systematic restructuring of the ontological approach to IEQ and, based on a meta-analysis of recent IEQ literature, the authors suggest three substantial contributions: 1) A framework consisting of comfort, health and well-being as three equal branches of IEQ to increase focus on previously neglected aspects and make inter-domain relations more transparent. 2) The identification of key IEQ trends and by extension suggestions for formal definitions of three main domains as part of a multidisciplinary conceptual framework for working holistically with IEQ. 3) The introduction of positive stimuli to IEQ assessment as opposed to the predominance of focus on the absence of negative parameters of current practice. Through including this positive stimuli dimension, the field of IEQ shifts from ‘not bad’ to ‘truly good’, encouraging the design of enriched environments to further positive experiences improving occupant well-being.

Occupant health in buildings: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the opinions of building professionals and implications on research

“…The literature thoroughly explains how different Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) factors such as lighting, acoustic and thermal conditions, indoor air quality, ventilation, humidity, spatial organization, ergonomics, and aesthetics can trigger various physical, mental and social responses among occupants [ [7] , [8] , [9] , [10] , [11] ]. Despite clear evidences showing the effect of IEQ on health [ 12 ], to date, other building-related areas of research such as energy efficiency and occupant comfort have received more attention [ 13 ].…”

Barriers to domestic retrofit quality: Are failures in retrofit standards a failure of retrofit standards?

“…36 Installers did not discuss the benefits of IWI of comfort, health and well-being with customers. 41 A fundamental problem is that installers themselves did not think that IWI provides good value for money in retrofits. Similar concerns have been found previously, with building professionals being reluctant to recommend technologies that may not be cost effective.…”

The future of IEQ in green building certifications

“…Building occupants have an awareness and express their preferences with respect to their perceived sensory environment (e.g. warmer, more light, lower air speed) based on their current states, transient activities and immediate expectations (Rohde et al 2020). However, they might have sparse understanding of the conditions necessary to maintain a building's energy balance or the ranges and mixture of stimuli necessary to trigger their metabolic and physiological functions (e.g.…”