Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performance

Inappropriate indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions are shown to reduce occupants’ satisfaction, wellbeing and performance. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an excellent classroom IEQ in order to minimize learning loss among students. This study determines the effect of different thermal...

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Main Authors: Carton Quinten, De Coninck Sarah, Kolarik Jakub, Breesch Hilde
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2023-01-01
Series:E3S Web of Conferences
Online Access:https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2023/33/e3sconf_iaqvec2023_01052.pdf
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author Carton Quinten
De Coninck Sarah
Kolarik Jakub
Breesch Hilde
author_facet Carton Quinten
De Coninck Sarah
Kolarik Jakub
Breesch Hilde
author_sort Carton Quinten
collection DOAJ
description Inappropriate indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions are shown to reduce occupants’ satisfaction, wellbeing and performance. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an excellent classroom IEQ in order to minimize learning loss among students. This study determines the effect of different thermal and indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions in a classroom on students’ satisfaction, study engagement and cognitive performance. Three data collection campaigns were performed in a university classroom. Data collection consisted of (1) continuous IEQ monitoring (i.e., temperature, relative humidity, CO2, …), (2) frequent assessments of students’ satisfaction with IEQ and study engagement via here-and-now surveys, and (3) evaluations of students’ memory and processing speed. The IEQ conditions were varied by adapting (1) a room temperature setpoint between 18°C to 26°C and (2) a CO2-setpoint between 500 ppm and 1000 ppm. A mixed-effects regression analysis on the collected data showed statistically significant relationships between students’ study engagement and the room temperature trend, air enthalpy, relative humidity and TVOC-concentrations in the classroom. The addition of data on students’ satisfaction with IEQ only improved a minority of model fits. A statistically significant difference in students’ memory was found between test conditions. However, a randomized experimental design is needed to determine the relationship between the classroom IEQ and students’ cognitive performance.
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spelling doaj.art-e8ad59c27dcc45fd8b5b7fef621374932023-06-20T09:03:55ZengEDP SciencesE3S Web of Conferences2267-12422023-01-013960105210.1051/e3sconf/202339601052e3sconf_iaqvec2023_01052Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performanceCarton Quinten0De Coninck Sarah1Kolarik Jakub2Breesch Hilde3KU Leuven, Department of Civil Engineering, Building Physics and Sustainable DesignUniversity College Leuven Limburg, Smart Organizations and Sustainable ResourcesTechnical University of Denmark, Department of Civil and Mechanical EngineeringKU Leuven, Department of Civil Engineering, Building Physics and Sustainable DesignInappropriate indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions are shown to reduce occupants’ satisfaction, wellbeing and performance. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an excellent classroom IEQ in order to minimize learning loss among students. This study determines the effect of different thermal and indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions in a classroom on students’ satisfaction, study engagement and cognitive performance. Three data collection campaigns were performed in a university classroom. Data collection consisted of (1) continuous IEQ monitoring (i.e., temperature, relative humidity, CO2, …), (2) frequent assessments of students’ satisfaction with IEQ and study engagement via here-and-now surveys, and (3) evaluations of students’ memory and processing speed. The IEQ conditions were varied by adapting (1) a room temperature setpoint between 18°C to 26°C and (2) a CO2-setpoint between 500 ppm and 1000 ppm. A mixed-effects regression analysis on the collected data showed statistically significant relationships between students’ study engagement and the room temperature trend, air enthalpy, relative humidity and TVOC-concentrations in the classroom. The addition of data on students’ satisfaction with IEQ only improved a minority of model fits. A statistically significant difference in students’ memory was found between test conditions. However, a randomized experimental design is needed to determine the relationship between the classroom IEQ and students’ cognitive performance.https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2023/33/e3sconf_iaqvec2023_01052.pdf
spellingShingle Carton Quinten
De Coninck Sarah
Kolarik Jakub
Breesch Hilde
Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performance
E3S Web of Conferences
title Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performance
title_full Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performance
title_fullStr Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performance
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performance
title_short Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performance
title_sort assessing the effect of a classroom ieq on student satisfaction engagement and performance
url https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2023/33/e3sconf_iaqvec2023_01052.pdf
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