IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v8y2016i4p331-d67678.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Building-Related Symptoms, Energy, and Thermal Control in the Workplace: Personal and Open Plan Offices

Author

Listed:
  • Sally S. Shahzad

    (School of Engineering and Technology, University of Derby, Derby, DE22 3AW, UK)

  • John Brennan

    (Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH1 1JZ, UK)

  • Dimitris Theodossopoulos

    (Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH1 1JZ, UK)

  • Ben Hughes

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK)

  • John Kaiser Calautit

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK)

Abstract

This study compared building-related symptoms in personal and open plan offices, where high and low levels of control over the thermal environment were provided, respectively. The individualized approach in Norway provided every user with a personal office, where they had control over an openable window, door, blinds, and thermostat. In contrast, the open plan case studies in the United Kingdom provided control over openable windows and blinds only for limited occupants seated around the perimeter of the building, with users seated away from the windows having no means of environmental control. Air conditioning was deployed in the Norwegian case study buildings, while displacement ventilation and natural ventilation were utilized in the British examples. Field studies of thermal comfort were applied with questionnaires, environmental measurements, and interviews. Users’ health was better in the Norwegian model (28%), while the British model was much more energy efficient (up to 10 times). The follow-up interviews confirmed the effect of lack of thermal control on users’ health. A balanced appraisal was made of energy performance and users’ health between the two buildings.

Suggested Citation

  • Sally S. Shahzad & John Brennan & Dimitris Theodossopoulos & Ben Hughes & John Kaiser Calautit, 2016. "Building-Related Symptoms, Energy, and Thermal Control in the Workplace: Personal and Open Plan Offices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-20, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:4:p:331-:d:67678
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/4/331/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/4/331/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jaakkola, J.J.K. & Tuomaala, P. & Seppanen, O., 1994. "Air recirculation and sick building syndrome: A blinded crossover trial," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 84(3), pages 422-428.
    2. Singh, Manoj Kumar & Mahapatra, Sadhan & Atreya, S.K., 2011. "Adaptive thermal comfort model for different climatic zones of North-East India," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(7), pages 2420-2428, July.
    3. Mendell, M.J. & Smith, A.H., 1990. "Consistent pattern of elevated symptoms in air-conditioned office buildings: A reanalysis of epidemiologic studies," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 80(10), pages 1193-1199.
    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. Hiroko Nakaoka & Norimichi Suzuki & Akifumi Eguchi & Daisuke Matsuzawa & Chisato Mori, 2022. "Impact of Exposure to Indoor Air Chemicals on Health and the Progression of Building-Related Symptoms: A Case Report," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Paulina Wegertseder-Martínez, 2023. "The Need for a Paradigm Shift toward an Occupant-Centered Environmental Control Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, March.
    3. Olivia James & Paul Delfabbro & Daniel L. King, 2021. "A Comparison of Psychological and Work Outcomes in Open-Plan and Cellular Office Designs: A Systematic Review," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(1), pages 21582440209, January.
    4. Barbara Mayer & Michaela Killian & Martin Kozek, 2017. "Hierarchical Model Predictive Control for Sustainable Building Automation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Fei Xue & Zhonghua Gou & Stephen Siu Yu Lau, 2016. "Human Factors in Green Office Building Design: The Impact of Workplace Green Features on Health Perceptions in High-Rise High-Density Asian Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-16, October.
    6. Kalmár, Tünde & Szodrai, Ferenc & Kalmár, Ferenc, 2022. "Experimental study of local effectiveness in the case of balanced mechanical ventilation in small offices," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).
    7. Sergio Bustamante & Pablo Castro & Alberto Laso & Mario Manana & Alberto Arroyo, 2017. "Smart Thermostats: An Experimental Facility to Test Their Capabilities and Savings Potential," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-18, August.
    8. Shahzad, Sally & Calautit, John Kaiser & Aquino, Angelo I. & Nasir, Diana S.N.M. & Hughes, Ben Richard, 2017. "A user-controlled thermal chair for an open plan workplace: CFD and field studies of thermal comfort performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 283-293.

    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. Buratti, C. & Palladino, D. & Ricciardi, P., 2016. "Application of a new 13-value thermal comfort scale to moderate environments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 859-866.
    2. Enescu, Diana, 2017. "A review of thermal comfort models and indicators for indoor environments," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1353-1379.
    3. Ren, Zhengen & Chen, Dong, 2018. "Modelling study of the impact of thermal comfort criteria on housing energy use in Australia," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 152-166.
    4. Masoud Esfandiari & Suzaini Mohamed Zaid & Muhammad Azzam Ismail & Mohammad Reza Hafezi & Iman Asadi & Saleh Mohammadi, 2021. "A Field Study on Thermal Comfort and Cooling Load Demand Optimization in a Tropical Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-25, November.
    5. Zhang, Sheng & Lin, Zhang, 2020. "Standard effective temperature based adaptive-rational thermal comfort model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    6. Wonyoung Yang & Hyeun Jun Moon & Jin Yong Jeon, 2019. "Comparison of Response Scales as Measures of Indoor Environmental Perception in Combined Thermal and Acoustic Conditions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-26, July.
    7. Hu, Jianhui & Chen, Wujun & Zhang, Sihao & Yin, Yue & Li, Yipo & Yang, Deqing, 2018. "Thermal characteristics and comfort assessment of enclosed large-span membrane stadiums," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 728-735.
    8. Yang, Liu & Yan, Haiyan & Lam, Joseph C., 2014. "Thermal comfort and building energy consumption implications – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 164-173.
    9. Yaolin Lin & Pengju Chen & Wei Yang & Xiancun Hu & Lin Tian, 2024. "A Systematic Review on the Studies of Thermal Comfort in Urban Residential Buildings in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-38, February.
    10. Buratti, C. & Ricciardi, P. & Vergoni, M., 2013. "HVAC systems testing and check: A simplified model to predict thermal comfort conditions in moderate environments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 117-127.
    11. Zomorodian, Zahra Sadat & Tahsildoost, Mohammad & Hafezi, Mohammadreza, 2016. "Thermal comfort in educational buildings: A review article," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 895-906.
    12. Sanjay Kumar & Manoj Kumar Singh & Nedhal Al-Tamimi & Badr S. Alotaibi & Mohammed Awad Abuhussain, 2022. "Investigation on Subjects’ Seasonal Perception and Adaptive Actions in Naturally Ventilated Hostel Dormitories in the Composite Climate Zone of India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    13. Domenico Palladino & Iole Nardi & Cinzia Buratti, 2020. "Artificial Neural Network for the Thermal Comfort Index Prediction: Development of a New Simplified Algorithm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-27, September.
    14. Chuan Chen & Mengshu He & Zihan Chu & Lishi He & Jiale Zhu & Yuan Bu & Jiangjun Wan & Lingqing Zhang, 2022. "Field Study on Indoor Thermal Environments of Monastic Houses and Thermal Comfort of Monks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.
    15. Mingran Mao & Chunzao Feng & Junxian Pei & Huidong Liu & Haifeng Jiang, 2023. "A Triple-Layer Membrane with Hybrid Evaporation and Radiation for Building Cooling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-11, March.
    16. Zuo, Jian & Zhao, Zhen-Yu, 2014. "Green building research–current status and future agenda: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 271-281.
    17. Mohammed K. Fageha & Alaa Alaidroos, 2022. "Performance Optimization of Natural Ventilation in Classrooms to Minimize the Probability of Viral Infection and Reduce Draught Risk," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-23, November.
    18. Ahmed Ali A. Shohan & Hanan Al-Khatri & Ahmed Ali Bindajam & Mohamed B. Gadi, 2021. "Solar Gain Influence on the Thermal and Energy Performance of Existing Mosque Buildings in the Hot-Arid Climate of Riyadh City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-29, March.
    19. Du, Chenqiu & Li, Baizhan & Yu, Wei & Liu, Hong & Yao, Runming, 2019. "Energy flexibility for heating and cooling based on seasonal occupant thermal adaptation in mixed-mode residential buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    20. Barbeito, Inés & Zaragoza, Sonia & Tarrío-Saavedra, Javier & Naya, Salvador, 2017. "Assessing thermal comfort and energy efficiency in buildings by statistical quality control for autocorrelated data," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 1-17.

    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:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:4:p:331-:d:67678. 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.