Impact of available and perceived control on comfort and health in European offices

Abstract

The objective of this study was to find out how perceived control and access to control options like operable windows and thermostats affect the comfort and health of European office workers. For this, the Health Optimisation Protocol for Energy-efficient Buildings database was re-analysed. Statistical analyses were conducted to find out what the impact is of available controls on perceived control of building occupants. Furthermore, the effect of perceived control on comfort and health (building-related symptoms) of building occupants was determined. Overall, no significant correlations were found between available controls and perceived control. Solar shading, however, was an exception. On the other hand, between perceived control and comfort or health, multiple significant correlations were found. Occupants are more comfortable in buildings in which the amount of perceived control over temperature, ventilation and noise is high. Perceived control also has an impact on the incidence of building related symptoms, also if one looks at combinations of perceived control (e.g. control over temperature and ventilation).

Keywords:

• adaptive opportunities
• adjustable thermostats
• building-related symptoms
• individual control
• operable windows
• personal control

View correction statement:

Impact of available and perceived control on comfort and health in European offices

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Prof Dr Claude-Alain Roulet of EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) for his help in obtaining the HOPE database.

Notes

This article was originally published with errors. This version has been corrected. Please see Corrigendum (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00038628.2013.783733)