Indoor Environmental Quality Study for Higher Education Buildings

Abstract

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in school buildings has been concerned widely for many years, whilst research into the IEQ issues in higher education (HE) buildings has been overlooked to some extent. This chapter presents an experimental study of the IEQ issues in two typical HE buildings in London using the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) methods. Various aspects of the IEQ have been considered in terms of human comfort in buildings, including indoor air quality, noise level, lighting, occupants’ perception, and so on. IEQ data have been collected using various IEQ meters and data loggers, as well as questionnaire surveys taken by the respondents. The results of the study reveal important findings. In terms of thermal comfort, several spaces were found to exceed the recommended temperature limit of 25°C. The data on indoor air quality indicated that rooms, particularly those with natural ventilation, such as the architectural studio, significantly exceeded the recommended CO2 limit of 1500 ppm. Moreover, the survey feedback collected from the building occupants aligned with the IEQ data, particularly in the area of thermal comfort. The respondents’ feedback provided valuable insights into their experiences and perceptions of the indoor environment, further reinforcing the findings obtained from the objective IEQ measurements. The work also discusses recommendations and possible actions to improve the IEQ in HE buildings.