TY - JOUR
T1 - Interaction effects of indoor environmental quality factors on cognitive performance and perceived comfort of young adults in open plan offices in North American Mediterranean climate
AU - Seyedrezaei, Mirmahdi
AU - Awada, Mohamad
AU - Becerik-Gerber, Burcin
AU - Lucas, Gale
AU - Roll, Shawn
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/10/1
Y1 - 2023/10/1
N2 - While Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) factors in an environment co-exist, the interaction effects of these factors and their impacts on cognitive functioning and perceived comfort have not been comprehensively examined. In this study, the interaction effects between temperature, lighting Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), and noise levels on selective attention, sustained attention, creativity, acoustics, thermal, visual, and overall IEQ comfort of young adults in open-plan offices in North American Mediterranean climate were presented. In a mixed-design controlled experimental setting, 52 young adults were recruited, and their objective cognitive performance and subjective comfort were assessed through statistical analysis. The experimental set points included [20 °C, 25 °C], [2700 K, 6500 K], and [50 dB, 65 dB] for temperature, lighting color, and noise, respectively. Additionally, the work took into consideration the gender and Body Mass Index (BMI) of participants. The results show that temperature moderated the effect of noise level and lighting CCT on selective attention, while no effect of IEQ factors on sustained attention was found. Creativity was influenced by gender and its interaction with the noise level. Concerning perceived comfort, acoustic comfort varied significantly with temperature. Thermal comfort was influenced by the combined moderating effect of lighting CCT and BMI on temperature, while visual comfort was driven by the moderation effect of gender on lighting CCT. Overall comfort was affected by the noise level and temperature. Finally, cognitive performance indicators were correlated with perceived IEQ comfort votes. Based on the findings of this study, considerations of interactions between noise, lighting CCT, temperature, gender, and BMI can shape occupant-centric priorities for enhanced cognitive functioning and comfort.
AB - While Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) factors in an environment co-exist, the interaction effects of these factors and their impacts on cognitive functioning and perceived comfort have not been comprehensively examined. In this study, the interaction effects between temperature, lighting Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), and noise levels on selective attention, sustained attention, creativity, acoustics, thermal, visual, and overall IEQ comfort of young adults in open-plan offices in North American Mediterranean climate were presented. In a mixed-design controlled experimental setting, 52 young adults were recruited, and their objective cognitive performance and subjective comfort were assessed through statistical analysis. The experimental set points included [20 °C, 25 °C], [2700 K, 6500 K], and [50 dB, 65 dB] for temperature, lighting color, and noise, respectively. Additionally, the work took into consideration the gender and Body Mass Index (BMI) of participants. The results show that temperature moderated the effect of noise level and lighting CCT on selective attention, while no effect of IEQ factors on sustained attention was found. Creativity was influenced by gender and its interaction with the noise level. Concerning perceived comfort, acoustic comfort varied significantly with temperature. Thermal comfort was influenced by the combined moderating effect of lighting CCT and BMI on temperature, while visual comfort was driven by the moderation effect of gender on lighting CCT. Overall comfort was affected by the noise level and temperature. Finally, cognitive performance indicators were correlated with perceived IEQ comfort votes. Based on the findings of this study, considerations of interactions between noise, lighting CCT, temperature, gender, and BMI can shape occupant-centric priorities for enhanced cognitive functioning and comfort.
KW - Cognitive functions
KW - Comfort
KW - Indoor environment
KW - Indoor environmental quality
KW - Interaction effect
KW - Performance
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U2 - 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110743
DO - 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110743
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85168417790
SN - 0360-1323
VL - 244
JO - Building and Environment
JF - Building and Environment
M1 - 110743
ER -