Do green buildings IEQ improve productivity

In this paper we investigate the measurement of productivity in green office buildings. This is as a response to the notion that ‘green’ buildings can achieve greater productivity than buildings that are not accredited as ‘green’. Most of the research in this field has employed self-appraisal to produce an indication that the design of a ‘green’ building can improve the productivity of its occupants. These studies concentrate on proving the importance of IEQ factors on productivity of occupants. This paper tests the reliability of self-appraisal in proving this causal relationship. A developed questionnaire which tests the importance of IEQ factor along with other factors was designed and issued alongside an internationally recognised questionnaire to occupants of a green building in New Zealand. The findings showed that other factors such as poor equipment and loss of sleep were rated to be more important than IEQ factors to productivity. This paper concludes that questionnaires that focus on IEQ not only prompt ideas but also heighten the awareness of a respondent to issues that may be of little or no consequence to productivity.

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