Tool development and application for vital workspace: a Dutch example of facility management valorisation

Background and aim – The aim of this paper is present how application of the innovative Indoor Comfort Index (ICI) method reveal the actual indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and the perceived IEQ and its influence on office workers productivity. Application of this tool in a pre and post-test after an office refurbishment, will reveal the effectiveness of this intervention. The development and application of this tool, emerged from education and research in facility management, led to a spin-off consultancy firm Vital Workplace. Methods – Actual measurements of the IEQ conditions, combined with users’ perceptions of the IEQ, before and after an office refurbishment, reveals the effectiveness of a refurbishment by analysing the differences between the pre and post-test with multiple statistical analyses. Results – Regarding the IEQ, the ICI reveals not only the actual performance of an office building, also if improved conditions contribute to improved comfort of office workers. In addition, the possible influence of the IEQ on office workers productivity is revealed. This allows facility managers to determine and improve the alignment of environment quality with workers’ activities and performance. Originality – The tool combines actual and perceived environmental quality at office buildings. Practical or social implications – Education and research can be used to create spin-offs in facility management. The developed tool can be used to diagnose the current state of the office, a basis for discussion on related improvements, and by doing so, for a cost-benefit analyses of design interventions at organizations. Showing if design impact on users outweigh the costs of real estate, refurbishment, and changes in operations. Type of paper – Research paper