IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v13y2016i5p444-d68885.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Perceived Indoor Environment and Occupants’ Comfort in European “Modern” Office Buildings: The OFFICAIR Study

Author

Listed:
  • Ioannis A. Sakellaris

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Macedonia, Sialvera & Bakola Str., Kozani 50100, Greece)

  • Dikaia E. Saraga

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Macedonia, Sialvera & Bakola Str., Kozani 50100, Greece
    Environmental Research Laboratory, INRASTES, National Center for Scientific Research “DEMOKRITOS”, Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, Athens 15310, Greece)

  • Corinne Mandin

    (CSTB-Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment, University of Paris-Est, 84 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Marne-La-Vallée 77447, France)

  • Célina Roda

    (Chair Indoor Environment, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628 GA, The Netherlands)

  • Serena Fossati

    (Occupational and Environmental Health Unit, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi 74, Milan IT-20157, Italy)

  • Yvonne De Kluizenaar

    (The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Delft 49 2600 AA, The Netherlands)

  • Paolo Carrer

    (Occupational and Environmental Health Unit, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi 74, Milan IT-20157, Italy)

  • Sani Dimitroulopoulou

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Macedonia, Sialvera & Bakola Str., Kozani 50100, Greece)

  • Victor G. Mihucz

    (Cooperative Research Centre for Environmental Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest H-1117, Hungary)

  • Tamás Szigeti

    (Cooperative Research Centre for Environmental Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest H-1117, Hungary)

  • Otto Hänninen

    (Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare, POB 95, Kuopio 70701, Finland)

  • Eduardo De Oliveira Fernandes

    (Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management, INEGI, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, Porto 4200-465, Portugal)

  • John G. Bartzis

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Macedonia, Sialvera & Bakola Str., Kozani 50100, Greece)

  • Philomena M. Bluyssen

    (Chair Indoor Environment, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628 GA, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Indoor environmental conditions (thermal, noise, light, and indoor air quality) may affect workers’ comfort, and consequently their health and well-being, as well as their productivity. This study aimed to assess the relations between perceived indoor environment and occupants’ comfort, and to examine the modifying effects of both personal and building characteristics. Within the framework of the European project OFFICAIR, a questionnaire survey was administered to 7441 workers in 167 “modern” office buildings in eight European countries (Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain). Occupants assessed indoor environmental quality (IEQ) using both crude IEQ items (satisfaction with thermal comfort, noise, light, and indoor air quality), and detailed items related to indoor environmental parameters (e.g., too hot/cold temperature, humid/dry air, noise inside/outside, natural/artificial light, odor) of their office environment. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relations between perceived IEQ and occupants’ comfort. The highest association with occupants’ overall comfort was found for “noise”, followed by “air quality”, “light” and “thermal” satisfaction. Analysis of detailed parameters revealed that “noise inside the buildings” was highly associated with occupants’ overall comfort. “Layout of the offices” was the next parameter highly associated with overall comfort. The relations between IEQ and comfort differed by personal characteristics (gender, age, and the Effort Reward Imbalance index), and building characteristics (office type and building’s location). Workplace design should take into account both occupant and the building characteristics in order to provide healthier and more comfortable conditions to their occupants.

Suggested Citation

  • Ioannis A. Sakellaris & Dikaia E. Saraga & Corinne Mandin & Célina Roda & Serena Fossati & Yvonne De Kluizenaar & Paolo Carrer & Sani Dimitroulopoulou & Victor G. Mihucz & Tamás Szigeti & Otto Hännine, 2016. "Perceived Indoor Environment and Occupants’ Comfort in European “Modern” Office Buildings: The OFFICAIR Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:5:p:444-:d:68885
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/5/444/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/5/444/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Minetos, Dionysios & Polyzos, Serafeim, 2010. "Deforestation processes in Greece: A spatial analysis by using an ordinal regression model," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 457-472, July.
    2. Siegrist, Johannes & Starke, Dagmar & Chandola, Tarani & Godin, Isabelle & Marmot, Michael & Niedhammer, Isabelle & Peter, Richard, 2004. "The measurement of effort-reward imbalance at work: European comparisons," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(8), pages 1483-1499, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jose Manuel Longares & Boniface Dominick Mselle & Jose Ignacio Gutierrez Galindo & Victor Ballestin, 2024. "Dynamic Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment in Residential Buildings: Real-Time Monitoring of Comfort Parameters Using LoRaWAN," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-12, November.
    2. Sonja Di Blasio & Louena Shtrepi & Giuseppina Emma Puglisi & Arianna Astolfi, 2019. "A Cross-Sectional Survey on the Impact of Irrelevant Speech Noise on Annoyance, Mental Health and Well-being, Performance and Occupants’ Behavior in Shared and Open-Plan Offices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-17, January.
    3. Richard Nagy & Ľudmila Mečiarová & Silvia Vilčeková & Eva Krídlová Burdová & Danica Košičanová, 2019. "Investigation of a Ventilation System for Energy Efficiency and Indoor Environmental Quality in a Renovated Historical Building: A Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-17, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mario Schnalzenberger & Nicole Schneeweis & Rudolf Winter-Ebmer & Martina Zweimüller, 2014. "Job Quality and Employment of Older People in Europe," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 28(2), pages 141-162, June.
    2. Nektaria Nicolakakis & Maude Lafantaisie & Marie-Claude Letellier & Caroline Biron & Michel Vézina & Nathalie Jauvin & Maryline Vivion & Mariève Pelletier, 2022. "Are Organizational Interventions Effective in Protecting Healthcare Worker Mental Health during Epidemics/Pandemics? A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-18, August.
    3. repec:iab:iabfda:201601(de is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Liebig, Stefan & Schupp, Jürgen, 2008. "Leistungs- oder Bedarfsgerechtigkeit? Über einen normativen Zielkonflikt des Wohlfahrtsstaats und seiner Bedeutung für die Bewertung des eigenen Erwerbseinkommens," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 59(1), pages 7-30.
    5. Oliver Weigelt & J. Charlotte Seidel & Lucy Erber & Johannes Wendsche & Yasemin Z. Varol & Gerald M. Weiher & Petra Gierer & Claudia Sciannimanica & Richard Janzen & Christine J. Syrek, 2023. "Too Committed to Switch Off—Capturing and Organizing the Full Range of Work-Related Rumination from Detachment to Overcommitment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-29, February.
    6. Mandy Schult & Verena Tobsch, 2012. "Freizeitstress: wenn die Arbeit ständig ruft," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 485, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    7. Jean-Baptist du Prel & Johannes Siegrist & Daniela Borchart, 2019. "The Role of Leisure-Time Physical Activity in the Change of Work-Related Stress (ERI) over Time," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-9, December.
    8. Roman Raab, 2020. "Workplace Perception and Job Satisfaction of Older Workers," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 943-963, March.
    9. João Silvestre da Silva-Junior & Frida Marina Fischer, 2014. "Long-Term Sickness Absence Due to Mental Disorders Is Associated with Individual Features and Psychosocial Work Conditions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(12), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Cildoz, Marta & Ibarra, Amaia & Mallor, Fermin, 2020. "Coping with stress in emergency department physicians through improved patient-flow management," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    11. Shimazu, Akihito & de Jonge, Jan, 2009. "Reciprocal relations between effort-reward imbalance at work and adverse health: A three-wave panel survey," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 60-68, January.
    12. Maki Tei-Tominaga & Kyoko Asakura & Takashi Asakura, 2018. "Generation-Common and -Specific Factors in Intention to Leave among Female Hospital Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study Using a Large Japanese Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-17, July.
    13. Angela Rauch & Anja Burghardt & Johannes Eggs & Anita Tisch & Silke Tophoven, 2015. "lidA–leben in der Arbeit. German cohort study on work, age and health [lidA–leben in der Arbeit. Kohortenstudie zu Gesundheit und Älterwerden in der Arbeit]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 48(3), pages 195-202, October.
    14. Eduardo Gismera & José Luis Fernández & Jesús Labrador & Laura Gismera, 2019. "Suffering at Work: A Challenge for Corporate Sustainability in the Spanish Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-18, August.
    15. Tophoven, Silke & Wurdack, Anja & Rauch, Angela & Munkert, Casandra & Bauer, Ulrike, 2016. "lidA - leben in der Arbeit : German cohort study on work, age and health. Documentation for waves 1 and 2," FDZ Datenreport. Documentation on Labour Market Data 201601_en, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    16. Lisa Toczek & Hans Bosma & Richard Peter, 2022. "Early retirement intentions: the impact of employment biographies, work stress and health among a baby-boomer generation," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1479-1491, December.
    17. Won Ju Hwang & Jin Ah Kim & Ji Sun Ha, 2020. "Effects of a Yoga Program in Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Workers of Small Workplaces: A Pilot Test," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-14, December.
    18. Elisabeth Maria Balint & Peter Angerer & Harald Guendel & Birgitt Marten-Mittag & Marc N. Jarczok, 2022. "Stress Management Intervention for Leaders Increases Nighttime SDANN: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-12, March.
    19. Rugulies, Reiner & Krause, Niklas, 2005. "Job strain, iso-strain, and the incidence of low back and neck injuries. A 7.5-year prospective study of San Francisco transit operators," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 27-39, July.
    20. Sara Brolin Låftman & Maria Granvik Saminathen & Bitte Modin & Petra Löfstedt, 2021. "Excellent Self-Rated Health among Swedish Boys and Girls and Its Relationship with Working Conditions in School: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-9, February.
    21. Li Fang & Li‐Ping Hsiao & Shu‐Hui Fang & Bao‐Chen Chen, 2019. "Associations of work stress and humor with health status in hospital nurses—A cross‐sectional study," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(19-20), pages 3691-3699, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:5:p:444-:d:68885. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.