The effect of internal environmental quality on occupant satisfaction in commercial office buildings

This article addresses a post-occupancy evaluation of a sample of office buildings in Adelaide, South Australia, which compares Green Star-rated against non-Green Star-rated buildings. Internal environment monitoring and occupant surveys were conducted to assess the perceived thermal, visual, and aural comforts, as well as health and productivity. The results show that Green Star-rated buildings provide slightly higher satisfaction in some thermal comfort aspects, but lower satisfaction in a number of significant elements, such as lighting and noise. Current trends in office design are, in some cases, seen to accentuate these issues. The results indicate that improvement in the design of buildings is an ongoing process that needs to be supported with effective and comprehensive feedback systems, including evaluation of the product in use, a system that is currently lacking in the commercial built environment.