Extract

As the population of a city grows, housing forms change and, in many instances, become more
compact. In Melbourne and other Australian cities there has been a shift away from detached dwellings
toward more compact apartment development, especially in the inner-city areas. This research seeks to
understand the views of existing apartment residents and their perspectives on Indoor Environment
Quality (IEQ). Of interest is how they prioritise IEQ versus other building aspects and how they assess
IEQ on a day to day basis. In support of this aim a survey of 98 apartment residents was undertaken
which asked them to rank the importance of a range of apartment attributes of which IEQ was one. They
were also asked to consider the various domains of IEQ (visual, olfactory, thermal and auditory) in an
assessment of their own apartments and to share the techniques they employ to manage each domain.
Results gleaned from the survey responses suggest IEQ appears to be traded-off against other priorities.
Residents were generally satisfied with their dwellings; however, they do identify aspects of IEQ where
improvements can be made. The study offers a wider relevance as many international cities face similar
challenges to satisfy urban population growth.

Keywords: IEQ, Apartment, Satisfaction, Occupant perceptions

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