Abstract/Summary

Indoor environment quality (IEQ) has with previous research been proven to affect occupant health, well - being and productivity. Our research however seeks to understand uniquely these IEQ factors and the possible relationship between the occupant and building environment. The intelligent design & operation of commercial offices offers a potential opportunity to close the building energy performance gap, but only if we understand discretely the relationship between the occupant and building workplace. Using sensory feedback devices worn by the occupant, discrete IEQ measurements and Post Occupancy Evaluation (PoE) responses, we focus upon analysing two workplaces in Bracknell and Manchester. Initial research suggests a lack of defined IEQ standards exists within the UK, therefore this research seeks to explore opportunities to develop such guidance using field and analytical review. The research considers the physiological effects of the built environment across x8 volunteers focussing upon stress measurements, skin temperatures, heart rate, breathing rate and blood oxygen level. The hypothesis of research proposes, that the built environment has specific effects on an individual’s physiological responses inclusive of subjective and objective responses gained from surveys and interviews developed to test current awareness of these relationships and their importance. The research concludes that these relationships are periodic and seasonal, demonstrating daily and weekly patterns exist across individual samples at x2 UK locations, whereby the individual volunteer’s responses can be considered to correlate across the analysed data.