The need for understanding the indoor environmental factors and its effects on occupants through an integrated analysis

Abstract

Research has shown that, even though the conditions seem to comply with current standards for indoor environmental quality (IEQ) based on single-dose response relationships, staying indoors is not good for our health. In the last three decades, many studies all over the world have been performed to identify and solve health and comfort problems of occupants. In our current standards, IEQ is still described with quantitative dose-related indicators, expressed in number and/or ranges of numbers for each of the factors (indoor air, lighting, acoustics and thermal aspects). Individual differences in needs and preferences of occupants (over time) are not accounted for. Other stressors and factors, whether of psychological, physiological, personal, social or environmental nature, are rarely considered. Interactions of stressors and effects at and between human and environment level are ignored. The focus is on preventing negative effects: positive effects are usually not considered. There is a need for an integrated analysis approach for assessing indoor environmental quality, which takes account of the combined effects of positive and negative stress factors in buildings on people (patterns), interactions, as well as the (dynamic) preferences and needs of occupants (profiles) and dynamics of the environment.