Identifying the Recent Trends of Parameters for Indoor Environmental Quality: Towards the Sustainability of Physical Performance in Learning Space
Main Article Content
Abstract
Abstract: Building performance in higher educational buildings plays a significant role in enhancing efficiency by improving the physical learning environment to meet intended functions and requirements, with a key focus on the sustainability performance of indoor environmental quality (IEǪ). This study aims to measure and analyse one of the IEǪ key factors within the learning spaces of higher educational buildings. A mixed-method approach involving interviews with experts from both non-technical and technical backgrounds related to the field was employed and data were analysed using NVivo14. Field measurements were conducted in lecture halls equipped with environmental monitoring tools to assess IEǪ parameters such as indoor air temperature (TPR), relative humidity (RH) and air velocity rate (AVR). Ǫuestionnaires were also distributed to the lecture halls users to collect their views on current IEǪ conditions. The findings were analysed against acceptable parameter ranges. Experts highlighted key considerations for evaluating building conditions that impact IEǪ in learning spaces, emphasising that users may be unaware of the harmful effects of indoor air pollutants on physical health and work performance due to poor indoor environments. Field measurements revealed that current IEǪ parameters in learning spaces do not comply with the acceptable limits specified by The Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Ǫuality 2010 (ICOP IAǪ 2010) and Malaysia Standard (MS1525:2019). This article delves into current trends and insights of learning environments, with a specific focus on investigating IEǪ measurement within higher educational buildings to inspire initiatives and solutions aimed at enhancing overall building performance, ultimately leading to improvements in the sustainable learning space.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Adeyemi, I.A., Rahman, M.S.A. and Adeyemi, A. (2022). Maintenance analytics for building decision-making: A literature review. Journal of Information System and Technology Management, 7(25): 127–138. https://doi.org/10.35631/JISTM.725010
Adîncu, D.A., Popescu, A. and Atanasiu, M. (2022). Comparison between two measurement methods for airflow in circular ventilation ducts. IOP Conference Series: MaĒerials Science and Engineering, 1262(1): 012076. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1262/1/012076
Bakthavatchalam, B., Habib, K., Saidur, R. and Saha, B.B. (2022). Cooling performance analysis of nanofluid assisted novel photovoltaic thermoelectric air conditioner for energy efficient buildings. Applied Thermal Engineering, 213: 118691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2022.118691
Barak, J. and Frana, K. (2020). Condensation of humid air predicted by numerical model and compared with experiment. In 2nd InĒernaĒional Conference on Mathematics and Computers in Science and Engineering (MACISE 2020). Los Alamitos, CA: IEEE Computer Society, Conference Publishing Services (CPS), 192–196. https://doi.org/10.1109/MACISE49704.2020.00042
Besiktepe, D., Ozbek, M. and Atadero, R.A. (2020). Identification of the criteria for building maintenance decisions in facility management: First step to developing a multi-criteria decision-making approach. Buildings, 10(9): 166. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings10090166
Bughio, M., Schuetze, T. and Mahar, W.A. (2020). Comparative analysis of indoor environmental quality of architectural campus buildings’ lecture halls and its perception by building users in Karachi, Pakistan. Sustainability, 12(7): 2995. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072995
Busono, T., Rahmanisa, H.O., Surahman, U., Mulyadi, Y. and Setiawan, W. (2021). Implementation of the greenship rating tools in the Centre of Excellent (CoE) building at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 738(1): 012040. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/738/1/012040
Campbell, D.T. and Stanley, J.C. (2020). Experimental and Ǫuasiexperimental Designs for Research. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally.
Chang, Y., Zhang, X., Song, G., Liu, J., Lin, C., Ye, J., Hu, J., Tang, L. and Ai, Z. (2023). Evaluation of airborne transmission risk in university towns based on IEǪ surveys. Energy and Built Environment, 4(5): 493–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbenv.2022.03.006
Day, J.K., McIlvennie, C., Brackley, C., Tarantini, M., Piselli, C., Hahn, J., O’Brien, W., Rajus, V.S., De Simone, M., Kjærgaard, M.B., Pritoni, M., Schlüter, A., Peng, Y., Schweiker, M., Fajilla, G., Becchio, C., Fabi, V., Spigliantini, G., Derbas, G. and Pisello, A.L. (2020). A review of select human-building interfaces and their relationship to human behavior, energy use and occupant comfort. Building and Environment, 178: 106920. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106920
Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) (2010). Industry Code of Practice Indoor Air Ǫuality 2010. Putrajaya: Ministry of Human Resources.
Department of Standards Malaysia (2019). MS 1525:2019 Energy Efficiency and Use of Renewable Energy for Non-Residential Buildings: Code of Practice. Cyberjaya: Department of Standards Malaysia.
Dzulkifli, N., Sarbini, N.N., Ibrahim, I.S., Abidin, N.I., Yahaya, F.M. and Nik Azizan, N.Z. (2021). Review on maintenance issues toward building maintenance management best practices. Journal of Building Engineering, 44: 102985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.102985
Faqih, F., Zayed, T. and Soliman, E. (2020). Factors and defects analysis of physical and environmental condition of buildings. Journal of Building PaĒhology and RehabiliĒaĒion, 5(1): 19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41024-020-00084-0
Ganesh, G.A., Sinha, S.L., Verma, T.N. and Dewangan, S.K. (2021). Investigation of indoor environment quality and factors affecting human comfort: A critical review. Building and EnvironmenĒ, 204: 108146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108146
Guevara, G., Soriano, G. and Mino-Rodriguez, I. (2021). Thermal comfort in university classrooms: An experimental study in the tropics. Building and EnvironmenĒ, 187: 107430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107430
Hauashdh, A., Jailani, J., Rahman, I.A. and Al-Fadhali, N. (2021). Structural equation model for assessing factors affecting building maintenance success. Journal of Building Engineering, 44: 102680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.102680
. (2020). Building maintenance practices in Malaysia: A systematic review of issues, effects and the way forward. International Journal of Building PaĒhology and AdapĒaĒion, 38(5): 653–672. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-10-2019-0093
Izzati, N., Zaki, S.A., Rijal, H.B., Rey, J.A.A., Hagishima, A. and Atikha, N. (2023). Investigation of thermal adaptation and development of an adaptive model under various cooling temperature settings for students’ activity rooms in a university building in Malaysia. Buildings, 13(1): 36. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13010036
Jia, L.R., Han, J., Chen, X., Li, Ǫ.Y., Lee, C.C. and Fung, Y.H. (2021). Interaction between thermal comfort, indoor air quality and ventilation energy consumption of educational buildings: A comprehensive review. Buildings, 11(12): 591. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11120591
Khalil, N., Husin, H.N. and Nawawi, A.H. (2018). Evaluation and concept of building performance towards sustainability in Malaysian higher institutions. Asian Journal of Environment-Behaviour Studies, 3(6): 91–99. https://doi.org/10.21834/ajebs.v3i6.239
Kovalska, G., Bulakh, I., Didichenko, M., Kozakova, O. and Chala, O. (2021). Higher education institutions energy efficient methods of functional planning solution. E3S Web of Conferences, 280: 04013. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202128004013
Li, S., Meng, J., Zheng, H., Zhang, N., Huo, J., Li, Y. and Guan, D. (2021). The driving forces behind the change in energy consumption in developing countries. EnvironmenĒal Research LeĒĒers, 16(5): 054002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abde05
Manasi, S., Nagaraj, H., Kambara, C., Latha, N., Remadevi, O.K. and Vinaykumar, K.H. (2021). Promoting Green Buildings Towards Achieving SusĒainable Development Goals: A Review. ISEC Working Paper No. 516. Bengaluru, India: Institute for Social and Economic Change.
Mannan, M. and Al-Ghamdi, S.G. (2021). Indoor air quality in buildings: A comprehensive review on the factors influencing air pollution in residential and commercial structure. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6): 3276. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063276
McFarland, D.E., Ross, B.E. and Albright, D. (2021). Ǫuantifying adaptability of college campus buildings. In J. Littlewood, R.J. Howlett and L.C. Jain (eds.), Sustainability in Energy and Buildings 2020. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies. Vol. 203. Singapore: Springer, 75–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8783-2_6
Miao, S., Gangolells, M. and Tejedor, B. (2024). Improving the thermal comfort model for students in naturally ventilated schools: Insights from a holistic study in the Mediterranean climate. Building and Environment, 258: 111622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111622
Munaro, M.R., Tavares, S.F. and Bragança, L. (2020). Towards circular and more sustainable buildings: A systematic literature review on the circular economy in the built environment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 260: 121134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121134
Naamandadin, N.A., Zainol, N.Z., Noor, S.N.A.M. and Sapian, A.R. (2020). Natural ventilation for energy efficient office buildings: A comparative analysis on three buildings in Kuala Lumpur. International Journal of Integrated Engineering, 11(4): 252–259. https://doi.org/10.30880/ijie.2019.11.04.029
Nurick, S. and Thatcher, A. (2023). Examining the impact of indoor environmental quality on individual productivity of knowledge workers in green certified buildings. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 25(4): 307–324. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRE-11-2022-0036
Osaro, F.O., Cookey-Gam, A. and Iyerefa, S. (2022). Usefulness of building ventilation. International Journal of Innovative Environmental Studies Research, 10(2): 25–32.
Passoni, C., Marini, A., Belleri, A. and Menna, C. (2021). Redefining the concept of sustainable renovation of buildings: State of the art and an LCT-based design framework. Sustainable Cities and Society, 64: 102519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102519
Reyes, J.I., Meneses, J. and Melián, E. (2022). A systematic review of academic interventions for students with disabilities in online higher education. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 37(4): 569–586. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2021.1911525
Ruslin, Mashuri, S., Abdul Rasak, M.S., Alhabsyi, F. and Syam, H. (2022). Semi-structured interview: A methodological reflection on the development of a qualitative research instrument in educational studies. IOSR Journal of Research and Method in Education, 12(1): 22–29.
Saini, J., Dutta, M. and Marques, G. (2020). A comprehensive review on indoor air quality monitoring systems for enhanced public health. Sustainable Environment Research, 30(1): 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42834-020-0047-y
Schweiker, M., Ampatzi, E., Andargie, M.S., Andersen, R.K., Azar, E., Barthelmes, V.M., Berger, C., Bourikas, L., Carlucci, S., Chinazzo, G., Edappilly, L.P., Favero, M., Gauthier, S., Jamrozik, A., Kane, M., Mahdavi, A., Piselli, C., Pisello, A.L., Roetzel, A., Rysanek, A., Sharma, K. and Zhang, S. (2020). Review of multi-domain approaches to indoor environmental perception and behaviour. Building and Environment, 176: 106804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106804
Taib, N.S.M., Ahmad Zaki, S., Rijal, H.B., Razak, A.A., Hagishima, A., Khalid, W. and Ali, M. S. M. (2022). Associating thermal comfort and preference in Malaysian universities’ air-conditioned office rooms under various set-point temperatures. Journal of Building Engineering, 54: 104575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104575
Talukdar, M.S.J., Talukdar, T.H., Singh, M.K., Baten, M.A. and Hossen, M.S. (2020). Status of thermal comfort in naturally ventilated university classrooms of Bangladesh in hot and humid summer season. Journal of Building Engineering, 32: 101700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2020.101700
Toosty, N.T., Hagishima, A., Bari, W. and Ahmad Zaki, S. (2022). Behavioural changes in air-conditioner use owing to the COVID-19 movement control order in Malaysia. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 30: 608–622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.01.001
Wolkoff, P., Azuma, K. and Carrer, P. (2021). Health, work performance and risk of infection in office-like environments: The role of indoor temperature, air humidity and ventilation. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 233: 113709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113709
Yang, D. and Mak, C.M. (2020). Relationships between indoor environmental quality and environmental factors in university classrooms. Building and Environment, 186: 107331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107331
Zuhari, Z. and Sheau Ting, L. (2019). Indoor thermal comfort in university classroom: A case of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. INTREST, 13(2): 34–41.