Assessment of indoor environment quality, occupant comfort and satisfaction in green and conventional buildings
Student name: Ms Vanita Godara
Guide: Dr Suresh Jain
Year of completion: 2013
Host Organisation: SGS India Pvt. Ltd.
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Avinash Kumar
Abstract: It is very important that people feel comfortable and satisfied with their building environment as they
spend most of their time indoors. This study tries to assess the indoor environment quality, level of
occupant comfort and satisfaction in a conventional and green building. It also tries to assess the
impact of perception of occupants regarding individual indoor environmental and building factors on
overall satisfaction with indoor environment and working conditions.
The methodology adopted is a combination of subjective and objective approaches. Under objective
approach, various indoor environment parameters (visual, acoustic, indoor air quality and thermal)
were monitored in both buildings in summer and winter season. Under subjective approach, surveys
were carried out in both buildings in summer and winter seasons.
The monitoring results showed poor indoor environment quality (except visual) in conventional
building and good indoor environment quality (except visual) in green building in both seasons. The
comfort and satisfaction levels for different building factors were below neutral in conventional
building and above neutral in green building in both seasons. SBS symptoms were more prevalent in
conventional building in both seasons. The perception regarding impact of different indoor
environment factors on occupants’ overall satisfaction with indoor environment varied according to
season and building type. Air quality and visual were perceived as the most important factor in both
seasons to influence occupants’ overall indoor environment satisfaction in conventional and green
building respectively.
It was concluded that the presence of certain building features (windows, more occupant control,
better HVAC system, continuous monitoring of indoor environment, better cleanliness and building
management) in green building led to high occupant comfort and satisfaction levels. These features
were absent in conventional building that led to low level of occupant comfort and satisfaction.
Key words: occupant, indoor environment quality, comfort, satisfaction, thermal.
