Performance by Design: Supporting Decisions around Indoor Air Quality in Offices

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can affect health and cognitive performance prior to users becoming aware of the declining air quality. Yet office occupants rarely have access to IAQ information upon which to base their ventilation decisions. This paper details the design and deployment of a situated IAQ display as a probe to explore ventilation and building operation practices when IAQ information is made available. Based on deployments in 11 naturally ventilated offices, we present an analysis of how reflection and sense making around IAQ can inform interactions with buildings. We suggest displays that are locally situated, non-disruptive and visualise the effects of poor IAQ with human analogies may hold potential for engaging office occupants with IAQ. We highlight how ambient displays represent a stepping-stone towards more informed interactions which can improve air quality and cognitive performance, and how IAQ feedback may usefully contribute to alternative HCI research agendas such as Human-Building Interaction.