From pixels to spaces: XR technologies in optimizing and humanizing indoor environments quality

The quality of indoor building environments directly impacts occupant well-being and operational efficiency, making its optimization a critical research focus. With its immersive and interactive capabilities, Extended Reality (XR) technology demonstrates significant potential for enhancing indoor environmental quality (IEQ). This study systematically investigates XR applications for IEQ optimization through an integrated approach combining bibliometric analysis, meta -analysis, and systematic review. This research provides a comprehensive and quantitative synthesis of XR effectiveness and identifies key driving and obstructive factors, optimization objectives, implementation stages, and strategies. A novel lifecycle-oriented XR-based framework is proposed and conceptualized from a “chemical reaction perspective,” revealing the dynamic interaction mechanisms among XR technologies, environmental systems, and occupants. The findings advance theoretical understanding by bridging XR technology with human-centered environmental research and offer a structured foundation for interdisciplinary integration. Moreover, the proposed framework demonstrates strong potential for practical application in intelligent design, real-time environmental management, and sustainable building operation. This study provides critical insights for advancing XR-enabled IEQ optimization and supports the development of healthy, energy-efficient, and intelligent built environments.