Effect of thermal comfort on occupant productivity in office buildings: A response surface analysis approach
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Abstract
Thermal environment is one of the main factors that influence occupants’ comfort and their productivity in office buildings. There is ample research that outlines this relationship between thermal comfort and occupant productivity. However, there is a lack of literature that presents mathematical relationship between them. This paper presents a research experimental study that investigates effects of indoor environmental quality factors on thermal comfort and occupant productivity. This study was conducted by collecting indoor environmental quality parameters using sensors and online survey for twelve months. Data analysis was done using Response Surface Analysis to outline any mathematical relationship between indoor environmental quality and occupant productivity. The outlined relationships confirmed dependencies of occupant thermal comfort and productivity on various indoor environmental factors. These dependencies include the effect of CO2 concentration, VOC concentration. These relationships were analysed to rank nine indoor environmental parameters as per the degree of effect on occupant thermal comfort and productivity. These findings would help design professionals to design better office design that would improve occupants’ comfort and their productivity. Study results have different implications for professionals working in design, construction and operation of office buildings. It is recommended that design guidelines for office buildings should consider occupant productivity and incorporate recommended range for indoor environmental quality parameters in respective categories and criteria.Citation
Kaushik, A., Arif, M., Tumula. P. and Ebohon, O.J. (2020) Effect of thermal comfort on occupant productivity in office buildings: Response surface analysis. Building and Environment, 80, 107021.Publisher
ElsevierJournal
Building and EnvironmentType
Journal articleLanguage
enDescription
This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Elsevier in Building and Environment on 14/06/2020. The published version can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107021 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.ISSN
0360-1323ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107021
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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/