A self-determination theory approach to evaluating indoor environment satisfaction through building interfaces

Occupant satisfaction in office buildings is commonly assessed through physical comfort parameters, while psychological needs remain underexplored. This study applies Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to examine how perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness influence satisfaction with the indoor environment. A questionnaire survey was conducted across 12 office buildings in the Netherlands, yielding 366 complete responses. A multi-step analysis was performed, including reliability and validity assessments of the SDT constructs, regression-based structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the contribution of observed satisfaction dimensions to overall satisfaction, and correlation and regression analyses to examine relationships between autonomy, competence, relatedness, and satisfaction. The results show that autonomy and competence are significantly associated with overall satisfaction, whereas relatedness exhibits weaker relationships. Differences in satisfaction across buildings are linked to variations in system performance, interface accessibility, and the level of support available to occupants when problems arise. These findings indicate that occupant satisfaction is strongly shaped by everyday interactions with building systems and interfaces that support psychological needs, particularly perceived control over the environment and confidence in system functionality and available support. SDT therefore provides a valuable framework for understanding and improving occupant satisfaction through the design and management of building systems and interfaces.