Saving energy in office buildings without compromising their indoor environmental quality

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.