Abstract:
The concept of Internal Environmental Quality (IEQ) has emerged as a determinant of the
performance of built environments due to its direct impact on the health, comfort and satisfaction of
the occupants of the buildings and also due its role in ensuring a productive work environment.
However, IEQ indicators such as thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and lighting level are associated
with the most energy consuming utilities, namely HVAC and lighting. While IEQ and energy efficiency
have been researched extensively, there is no published research on energy saving strategies that will
optimize the IEQ in office buildings. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify energy efficient
strategies that will optimize the IEQ in office buildings. The research problem was approached
through a case study analysis of four office buildings. The study identified energy efficient strategies
that can be practiced without compromising the IEQ of a building. However, findings also asserted
that there is no common platform to optimize the IEQ performance while achieving the best energy
performance of a building. Energy efficient strategies to be adopted can depend on various internal
and external factors of a facility. The findings will be useful for building managers who manage office
buildings.
