Indoor environment quality of green buildings: Case study of an LEED platinum certified factory in a warm humid tropical climate

Abstract

The indoor environmental quality of a green building is expected to be better, more comfortable and more productive compared to a conventional building. Many studies have been undertaken on user satisfaction of green buildings. However, most of them placed focuses on office buildings in developed countries and temperate climates. Very few studies have been conducted on other types of buildings in developing countries and tropical climate zones. The research reported in this paper aims to investigate the indoor environment quality of a green factory building in a developing country with a warm humid tropical climate. Using a conventional factory as a control, a questionnaire survey was administered among pairs of comparable workers using a Systematic Sampling Technique. Physical measurements of several indoor environment quality variables in similar locations provided an opportunity to corroborate the survey responses. Results showed that thermal comfort, ventilation, and ability to control indoor environment of the green factory were comparatively less satisfactory. Acoustics, indoor air quality and work layout did not indicate a significant difference between the factories. Views to outside, lighting, cleanliness, furniture, and privacy were better in the green factory compared to the control. The study explored the reasons for poor rating of some of the green factory's indoor environment quality variables. This study confirms the need for green buildings to have a climate responsive design that is locally relevant.