Developing a Personalized Airflow System to Enhance Occupants’ Well-Being

Abstract

In recent years, architects have been increasingly focused on designing green, low-energy buildings that prioritize sustainability and energy efficiency. However, this emphasis on environmental considerations often overshadows the critical importance of creating indoor environments that promote the well-being, comfort, and productivity of occupants. With people in industrialized countries spending nearly 90% of their time indoors, it is imperative to shift our attention to user-centric design. This shift becomes even more significant when we consider that office workers' salaries are about 100 times higher, per square foot, than energy costs, underscoring the need to prioritize users. Indoor environments profoundly affect physical and psychological health, cognitive abilities, and productivity through factors like thermal conditions, lighting, air quality, and noise. Furthermore, with over 60% of the world's population projected to inhabit urban environments by 2030, it is essential to address the potential negative impacts of living in crowded, enclosed spaces, particularly in light of experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has brought the user experience into sharp focus, as isolation from nature and the outside world can have adverse effects. In response, biophilic design principles, rooted in our innate connection with nature, have gained prominence. They aim to integrate natural elements into the built environment, enhancing user comfort and performance. Airflow is a vital element in biophilic design, contributing to healthy indoor environments. This research seeks to develop an experimental system to simulate natural air movement in indoor spaces, fostering user engagement with nature and improving indoor quality.