Parameters and indicators used in Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) studies: A review

Abstract

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is a broad concept, which seeks to define when a built space provides welfare to its occupants. In general, it is defined as the condition of thermal, visual, acoustic and air quality comfort and depends on multiple factors. In the case of school buildings, the relevance of IEQ is related to its effects on the wellbeing, health and performance of the students and teachers. This research summarizes previous studies of IEQ from a multivariable perspective to prove that this research area needs to be further developed. Previous results show that an integrated analysis of IEQ parameters could better understand the IEQ perception of their occupants. Research on IEQ in schools generally refers to one or two aspects of the four. Even the most recent research deals with these topics separately, without using a systemic approach. The reductionism generated by isolating parameters allows us to study a parameter in detail but does not evaluate the environmental quality of the space. This is why new metrics are necessary to describe, assess and compare IEQ in educational spaces under a systemic approach.