Environmental assessment of a shared workspace in UK educational buildings during the winter season

Achieving a sustainable built environment by meeting thermal comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ), and wintertime energy consumption goals can be challenging in shared open area working environments. In this study, the environmental conditions of an educational building were assessed during the winter season to investigate the effects of shared working environments on thermal comfort and IAQ targets. A five-month monitoring campaign was carried out with in situ measurements of indoor temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration levels collected to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the workspace. The initial results indicate that thermal conditions were generally adequate, with relative humidity levels always being within acceptable levels and air temperature remaining within comfortable ranges for 77% of the occupied hours. Thermal comfort was mostly compromised in the zone next to the building's fully glazed south-west side during the earlier hours of the day. A brief exposure to elevated CO2 concentrations was found, primarily during the busiest day of the week. Concentration levels have been particularly high in the center of the shared space indicating the need for more effective and customized ventilation. The study's findings demonstrate the necessity of developing a ventilation control system that can improve indoor conditions throughout the heating season.