A framework for the evaluation of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) performance in apparel industry buildings in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In the modern world, many people spend large portion of their time in built environments. Accordingly, significance of built environments’ performance is increasing over past two decades. It draws the attention towards the concept of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) to determine how well built environments are performing as IEQ performance directly affects occupants’ health, comfort, satisfaction and ultimately for a productive work environment. Moreover, IEQ concept can be considered as an integral part of total building performance approach. Today in Sri Lankan industrial sector, especially apparel manufacturing sector grows upward in speedily. For this rapidly development, performance of the built environment is vital as it is having direct relationship with occupants’ productivity. At the present, various approaches to evaluate IEQ performance has being developed. However, it is evident that there is no holistic approach. Similarly in Sri Lanka, there is no comprehensive framework applied in industrial buildings to evaluate IEQ performance. This necessitates the important of developing a holistic IEQ evaluation approach which would greatly benefit to the industrial sector. Survey methodology is used in the research and RII is employed as a data analysing tool to validate the IEQ indicators which have been identified in literature review and modified in preliminary survey. Further, it is established the most significant indicators based on their importance towards IEQ performance in apparel industry buildings with AHP tool. The developed framework comprised with four main IEQ indicators as thermal comfort, indoor air quality, acoustic quality and lighting quality. This framework focused on holistic approach to measure IEQ performance which will allow acceptable built environment while processing continuous improvements.