Field investigation of perceived indoor environment quality: Study case in Norwegian secondary school with Demand-Controlled Ventilation

Surveys in Norwegian schools showed that some students experienced health problems, such as headaches or concentration issues which have been linked to indoor environment quality (IEQ). This research investigates the relationship between measured IEQ and students’ perceived IEQ as user-feedback in one lower secondary school. This study explores the factors contributing to the connection with certain parameters such as carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and temperature levels with perceived IEQ. Despite achieving good IEQ levels according to standards, there is a notable discrepancy between measured IEQ and how students perceive the air quality. Two classrooms served by a demand-controlled ventilation system were monitored with IEQ measurement sensors and online questionnaires were given individually to students in each classroom. This enables to provide real-time students’ perception of indoor air and room temperature quality. Measurement results showed IEQ are of good quality, but students’ responses on perceived IEQ vary and showed over 25% are dissatisfied, indicating mixed feelings and dissatisfaction about perceived IEQ. Future research should focus on refining ventilation systems to bridge the gap between measured and perceived IEQ.