Inside buildings: environment, health and performance

People spend about 90% of their time indoors, yet the impact of indoor climate on human health and productivity remains largely unknown. Due to recent advances in sensor technology, indoor environmental conditions can be objectively measured in an unprecedented frequency. In my thesis defense, I will present an overview of the results of a series of innovative studies linking indoor environmental conditions to human health and performance. The main findings highlight the important role of indoor climate in shaping occupants. Individuals exposed to poor air quality or thermal conditions in their home or work are more at risk of experiencing poor health status and tend to require higher health care. In one of the studies we link the indoor environmental conditions to the performance of chess player, as an example of a high demanding cognitive tasks undertaken under time pressure. The results indicate players make a higher number of mistakes when exposed to high levels of air pollution. These players are especially vulnerable to air pollution when they are face time pressure during the games. The thesis insights contribute to the existing knowledge in environmental science and economics with new insights into the implications of environmental conditions on humans, and of the role of buildings therein.