Developing a framework to evaluate indoor environmental quality (IEQ) performance of industrial buildings in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) can be considered as one of the main measure of total building performance. Even though there are various methods to evaluate IEQ of buildings, it is evident that there is no holistic approach, which considers every possible parameter which results in a more pragmatic and operational, mechanism especially for industrial buildings. Similarly in Sri Lanka, there is no comprehensive framework applied in buildings to evaluate IEQ performance and the situation is same with other countries as there is less regard to IEQ factors in measuring building performance. The industrial buildings also lacks total IEQ performance methods being utilised, however there are few which are only based on IEQ measurements such as indoor air quality, thermal, acoustic and lighting comfort. When considering the global view, are some evaluation methods or techniques which are being used. However for the industrial buildings there are no methods with a holistic approach. This creates the need to identify existing IEQ practices with respect to industrial buildings in order to develop a comprehensive evaluation framework for total IEQ performance of industrial buildings. Therefore, this paper attempts to establish the indicators and sub indicators proposed for the framework to evaluate IEQ performance of industrial buildings based on preliminary investigation and literature survey as part of an on-going research project. The available IEQ techniques have been identified which needs to be validated in the next step of this research study.