ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY TOWARDS THE INDOOR ENVIRONMENT QUALITY PERFORMANCE OF A CONVENTIONAL OFFICE CASE STUDY /
Fudiela, Sosthene Tshisenda
ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY TOWARDS THE INDOOR ENVIRONMENT QUALITY PERFORMANCE OF A CONVENTIONAL OFFICE CASE STUDY / NICOSIA TAX BUILDING SOSTHENE TSHISENDA FUDIELA; SUPERVISOR: ASST. PROF. DR. PERVİN ABOHORLU DOĞRAMACI - xiii, 160 sheets: photos; 31 cm. 1 CD-ROM
Thesis (MID) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Interior Design Department
Includes bibliography (sheets 145-151)
ABSTRACT
Today the relationship between humans and the indoor environment provides a rich
framework for research in the field of interior architecture, where the interior and other
contractors need to reevaluate the relationship between employees and the office in
terms of a green and sustainable indoor environment. Our fundamental act of dividing
working spaces is a way of understanding where humans belong in the built
environment. This study compares the IEQ of conventional office buildings to
sustainable office buildings that are certified under the LEED system of green
buildings. In this time of growing concerns about sustainability and awareness of the
negative effects that buildings have on their occupants, green buildings have been
promoted as sustainable solutions to these problems. Technical performance metrics
are utilized in the evaluation of LEED-certified buildings; may result in a mismatch
between the measured and perceived performance from the user's perspective. This
raises the question of whether convention office buildings' indoor environments can
be enhanced by the LEED rating system. As a result, this study aims to develop a
framework for assessing workplace environments that considers sustainability and
human considerations and targets to include office facilities that wish to promote the
environmental management and interior comfort of green offices.
The review utilizes different methodology in three stages to analyze the perceptions of
occupants in conventional office building in Nicosia Tax Office and ten other buildings
worldwide that have received the LEED certification. Phase I observations to
document the physical work environment and users' behavioral interactions with the
environment. Phase II deep interviews are used to learn about the experiences of the
occupants, investigate potential IEQ factors, and define the components of a human
workplace. Questionnaires were distributed simultaneously to gauge the relationship
between occupant perceptions and the IEQ factors derived from the literature. Phase
III is the qualitative analysis used to collect vigorously experts' perspectives and
experiences on the crucial aspects of evaluating occupant well-being in office
buildings to support, draw a conclusion, and strengthen the validity of the findings. In
the study compared the perceptions of occupants of "green" and "conventional" office
buildings, Eleven (11) IEQ factors that influence the experience in office work
environments were investigated.
Results show both structure types follow indoor plan principles, while the indoor
climate quality in green structures is superior to that in conventional structures. Work
productivity was slightly higher in green buildings, but there were no significant
physical or behavioural differences between the two types of buildings. These findings
suggest that there is a need for deeper comprehension and improvement of the
performance–satisfaction gap, which challenges the idea that green buildings have a
greater impact on both work performance and occupant satisfaction than conventional
buildings.
Keywords: Green Building, Health and Well-Being, Interior Design, Indoor
Environment, LEED, Office Buildings, Sustainability Office
Sustainable architecture--Dissertations, Academic
Interior decoration--Dissertations, Academic
Office buildings--Dissertations, Academic
Sustainable building--Dissertations, Academic
ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY TOWARDS THE INDOOR ENVIRONMENT QUALITY PERFORMANCE OF A CONVENTIONAL OFFICE CASE STUDY / NICOSIA TAX BUILDING SOSTHENE TSHISENDA FUDIELA; SUPERVISOR: ASST. PROF. DR. PERVİN ABOHORLU DOĞRAMACI - xiii, 160 sheets: photos; 31 cm. 1 CD-ROM
Thesis (MID) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Interior Design Department
Includes bibliography (sheets 145-151)
ABSTRACT
Today the relationship between humans and the indoor environment provides a rich
framework for research in the field of interior architecture, where the interior and other
contractors need to reevaluate the relationship between employees and the office in
terms of a green and sustainable indoor environment. Our fundamental act of dividing
working spaces is a way of understanding where humans belong in the built
environment. This study compares the IEQ of conventional office buildings to
sustainable office buildings that are certified under the LEED system of green
buildings. In this time of growing concerns about sustainability and awareness of the
negative effects that buildings have on their occupants, green buildings have been
promoted as sustainable solutions to these problems. Technical performance metrics
are utilized in the evaluation of LEED-certified buildings; may result in a mismatch
between the measured and perceived performance from the user's perspective. This
raises the question of whether convention office buildings' indoor environments can
be enhanced by the LEED rating system. As a result, this study aims to develop a
framework for assessing workplace environments that considers sustainability and
human considerations and targets to include office facilities that wish to promote the
environmental management and interior comfort of green offices.
The review utilizes different methodology in three stages to analyze the perceptions of
occupants in conventional office building in Nicosia Tax Office and ten other buildings
worldwide that have received the LEED certification. Phase I observations to
document the physical work environment and users' behavioral interactions with the
environment. Phase II deep interviews are used to learn about the experiences of the
occupants, investigate potential IEQ factors, and define the components of a human
workplace. Questionnaires were distributed simultaneously to gauge the relationship
between occupant perceptions and the IEQ factors derived from the literature. Phase
III is the qualitative analysis used to collect vigorously experts' perspectives and
experiences on the crucial aspects of evaluating occupant well-being in office
buildings to support, draw a conclusion, and strengthen the validity of the findings. In
the study compared the perceptions of occupants of "green" and "conventional" office
buildings, Eleven (11) IEQ factors that influence the experience in office work
environments were investigated.
Results show both structure types follow indoor plan principles, while the indoor
climate quality in green structures is superior to that in conventional structures. Work
productivity was slightly higher in green buildings, but there were no significant
physical or behavioural differences between the two types of buildings. These findings
suggest that there is a need for deeper comprehension and improvement of the
performance–satisfaction gap, which challenges the idea that green buildings have a
greater impact on both work performance and occupant satisfaction than conventional
buildings.
Keywords: Green Building, Health and Well-Being, Interior Design, Indoor
Environment, LEED, Office Buildings, Sustainability Office
Sustainable architecture--Dissertations, Academic
Interior decoration--Dissertations, Academic
Office buildings--Dissertations, Academic
Sustainable building--Dissertations, Academic