Occupant centric indoor environmental quality assessment within institutional settings

Purpose Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) directly affects comfort, health, productivity, and well-being, making its assessment essential for healthy indoor environments. The present study is an effort towards assessing IEQ from the occupants' perspective, tailored for institutional settings. It integrates key parameters of IEQ, viz. Thermal, Acoustic, Lighting environments, and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). The objective is to visualize and formulate quantifiable trends, enabling real-time monitoring and forecasting of IEQ for the overall well-being of occupants. The findings highlight the potential for refinements in existing standards, advocating for adaptive, occupant-centric thresholds. Design/methodology/approach The study focuses on institutional settings in Jaipur's composite climate. A cross-sectional field study was conducted, involving over 580 participants. Subjective satisfaction scores were collected through structured questionnaires, while objective measurements of environmental conditions were recorded using standardized instrumentation. Rigorous statistical analysis, regression modelling, and comparisons with prevalent standards were employed to define satisfaction ranges for comparisons with standards and derive mathematical models for various parameters of IEQ. Findings Thermal satisfaction peaks at 23.8 °C Standard Effective Temperature (SET), with a broader satisfactory range of 19.5 °C–28 °C, exceeding standard limits. Acoustic satisfaction is highest below 40 dBA and remains acceptable up to 61.2 dBA, surpassing established thresholds. Lighting satisfaction is achieved within a broad range of 70–545 lux, indicating robustness of standards. Short-term variations in IAQ had minimal impact, suggesting lower sensitivity of participants to oft-prevailing pollutant levels. Interconnection of thermal and air quality satisfaction was observed. Research limitations/implications The assessment of IAQ was restricted to pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, and CO2. Incorporating a wider range of pollutants and additional parameters could offer a more comprehensive understanding of IAQ. Furthermore, the analysis of acoustic and lighting environments could be enriched by considering factors such as sound frequency distribution and glare metrics, providing a more nuanced evaluation of occupant satisfaction. Additionally, the study did not account for local thermal dissatisfaction, which could offer deeper insights into occupant thermal satisfaction and comfort. Practical implications The findings advocate for data-driven, occupant-centric assessment of IEQ that emphasizes subjective satisfaction rather than rigid standards, while promoting energy efficiency. Institutional facilities, where immediate infrastructural change is not feasible, can benefit from flexible operating thresholds without compromising satisfaction. Originality/value This study is an effort at developing an occupant-centred framework for IEQ assessment in institutional buildings, bridging the gap between technical benchmarks and human experience. While IEQ assessments typically follow established standards, fixed benchmarks may not always reflect occupant satisfaction due to variations in human perception and adaptive responses. Aligning assessments with user satisfaction has the potential to refine benchmarks, enabling flexible thresholds that balance comfort, practicality, and cost-effectiveness as explored in this paper.