By looking at workplaces from the user's point of view it is possible to identify design features that significantly influence indoor environmental quality. Interviews and questionnaires were used as a mean of assessing the occupants' satisfaction on two new buildings in Melbourne. The questionnaire contains twenty design and environmental quality indicators and an overall satisfaction rating. There were 190 occupants who provided the responses. Design features and indoor environmental quality such as temperature, airflow, air contaminants, sound pressure level, view, lighting and workspace configuration were investigated. This paper examines the effects of indoor environmental quality on occupants’ satisfaction with two new office buildings through the application of qualitative and quantitative methods using questionnaires and interviews. It was found that occupant complaints are mostly about thermal comfort during the winter months, glare and noise level. These are due to building operation processes, lack of personal control and open-plan office design. This study demonstrates an approach that is useful for understanding how design and environmental quality design features affect the occupants. This information can be useful for decisions about workplace configuration and building energy efficient design features.

IAQ 2007 Conference held in Baltimore, Maryland, October 14-17, 2007

Units: SI