An Analysis of the Relationship between Indoor Environmental Quality and Productivity

摘要

Many people spend the majority of their time in an indoor environment; even the most active people spend a minimum of 12 hours per day inside the home or work office. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) considers the quality of all comfort and health factors in the indoor environment. This paper investigates the relationship between IEQ and productivity rates for manufacturers, service companies, and educational institutions. This paper analyzes several recent studies that examined IEQ and its relationship to productivity and health of employees or students. A 1995 analysis by the US General Accounting Office of 80,000 public elementary and secondary schools found that over 8 million students are attending 15,000 schools with severe indoor air quality problems. These indoor air quality problems can be effectively addressed through simple design strategies, the result being improved health, increased attendance, and better grades for this group. This paper discusses these relationships, methodologies, and design strategies to justify IEQ improvement projects.