Improved awareness of poor indoor air quality could lead to healthier and more productive offices, according to research published by academics from our University.
Dr Stephen Snow, from the School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS), has made several recommendations to address indoor air quality in a report commissioned by the Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Indoor air quality is a leading cause of health issues and reduced cognitive performance in offices, but has until recently taken a back seat to the more commonly reported concerns over outdoor air quality.
The research in ECS’s Agents, Interaction and Complexity Group evaluated social and behavioural factors that affect the air quality in offices and shared, among many outcomes, that low-cost air quality sensors could improve awareness of poor conditions and trigger actions that lead to healthier workplaces.
Stephen commented:
“Because we become acclimatised to the space we’re in, cognitive performance can be impacted by inadequate ventilation prior to awareness of the declining indoor air quality. This report outlines opportunities for how indoor air quality visualisations might be designed to inform and support healthier ventilation practices in naturally ventilated offices.”
Findings from the two-part report, which was facilitated by the Public Policy Southampton team, have now been presented to Defra, with discussions for follow-up work underway. You can view the report and further information on the Public Policy website.
