Indoor environment quality effects on occupant satisfaction and energy consumption: Empirical evidence from subtropical offices
File version
Version of Record (VoR)
Author(s)
Zhang, Fan
Stewart, Rodney A
Santamouris, Mattheos
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
Abstract
This study examines the impact of indoor environment quality (IEQ) on occupant satisfaction and energy consumption in Australia’s subtropical office buildings. First, Kano’s model was applied to 201 office occupants' satisfaction surveys to understand the influence of each IEQ parameter on overall occupant satisfaction. Then, a quantitative relationship between monitored IEQ parameters and energy consumption in three office buildings was developed during summer, winter and transitional months. Using Kano’s model, IEQ parameters were classified into Basic Factors, Performance Factors, and Bonus Factors based on their impact on occupants’ overall satisfaction. Basic Factors include ‘acoustic environment’, ‘lighting environment’, ‘level of privacy’, and’office cleanliness’, which were deemed a prerequisite for occupant satisfaction. As Performance Factors, ‘thermal environment’, ‘indoor air quality’, ‘furnishing’, ‘available space’ and ‘personal control’ had proportional relationships with overall satisfaction. The only identified Bonus Factor positively impacting overall occupant satisfaction was ‘View from the windows’. In subtropical climates, the relationship between IEQ parameters and energy consumption reveals that artificial lighting is the most energy-intensive IEQ parameter. The findings also suggest that Australian building experts may have over-emphasised the role that achieving thermal comfort plays in the energy consumption of office buildings in Australia’s temperate climates.
Journal Title
Energy and Buildings
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
303
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Built environment and design
Engineering
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Roumi, S; Zhang, F; Stewart, RA; Santamouris, M, Indoor environment quality effects on occupant satisfaction and energy consumption: Empirical evidence from subtropical offices, Energy and Buildings, 2024, 303, pp. 113784