Methodology for the evaluation of Indoor Environmental Quality and Comfort in school classrooms through a multicriteria index

This PhD study develops an indicator that weighs the relevance of thermal, acoustic, light, and air quality parameters in evaluating indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in school classrooms. The study aims to determine the relationships between these parameters and students' perception of IEQ, design a methodology for weighting the parameters in a single index. It also aims to define the conditions under which students are forgiving of IEQ. The methodology used in this research is a mixed methodology that combines empirical, modelling, qualitative, and quantitative approaches.
The study begins by developing an IEQ index that combines thermal, acoustic, visual, and air quality parameters based on a dataset from previous post-occupancy evaluations of classrooms in Chile. The index highlights the importance of noise, air quality, temperature, and light perception. However, a limitation of the index is the lack of data on general acceptability, which makes it challenging to compare the individual votes for each factor with the overall perception.
To address this limitation, a new survey is developed and validated specifically for school children aged 10 to 13 years. The survey assesses the acceptability of thermal, acoustic, visual, and air quality factors from the perspective of the students.
Based on the application of the survey a general comfort index was developed through multiple linear regression. This index revealed that students prioritize air quality as the most important factor, followed by noise and temperature. Surprisingly, lighting has a negligible influence on their evaluation of IEQ. This contrasts with previous studies that emphasized thermal comfort as the primary factor. The research suggests that students' expectations and perceptions of IEQ can vary based on factors such as expectations.
To better understand the indoor conditions where students would evaluate their environment as acceptable, the measured parameters were correlated with the acceptability votes. It was found that the acceptability was not matching with normative requirements. Therefore, linear regressions and Binary logistic regressions were conducted to describe the conditions of acceptability.
The limitations of this study, include the small sample size and the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected occupancy density and ventilation rates. Future studies should address these limitations and explore the relationship between occupants' expectations and forgiveness regarding IEQ using the developed methodology.
In conclusion, this PhD research contributes to the evaluation of IEQ in school classrooms by developing an index and survey specifically for school children. The findings emphasize the importance of considering multiple aspects of IEQ, particularly air quality, in designing and renovating school buildings. It is also highlighted the need for further exploration of the relationships between different aspects of IEQ and occupants' expectations.