An Indoor Environmental Quality Study for Higher Education Buildings with an Integrated BIM-Based Platform

Mukhtar Maigari (), Changfeng Fu (), Efcharis Balodimou, Prapooja Kc, Seeja Sudhakaran and Mohammad Sakikhales
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Mukhtar Maigari: School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, ST Mary’s Road, London W5 5RF, UK
Changfeng Fu: School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, ST Mary’s Road, London W5 5RF, UK
Efcharis Balodimou: School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, ST Mary’s Road, London W5 5RF, UK
Prapooja Kc: School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, ST Mary’s Road, London W5 5RF, UK
Seeja Sudhakaran: School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, ST Mary’s Road, London W5 5RF, UK
Mohammad Sakikhales: School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, ST Mary’s Road, London W5 5RF, UK

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-27

Abstract: Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of higher education (HE) buildings significantly impacts the built environment sector. This research aimed to optimize learning environments and enhance student comfort, especially post-COVID-19. The study adopts the principles of Post-occupancy Evaluation (POE) to collect and analyze various quantitative and qualitative data through environmental data monitoring, a user perceptions survey, and semi-structured interviews with professionals. Although the environmental conditions generally met existing standards, the findings indicated opportunities for further improvements to better support university communities’ comfort and health. A significant challenge identified by this research is the inability of the facility management to physically manage and operate the vast and complex spaces within HE buildings with contemporary IEQ standards. In response to these findings, this research developed a BIM-based prototype for the real-time monitoring and automated control of IEQ. The prototype integrates a BIM model with Arduino-linked sensors, motors, and traffic lights, with the latter visually indicating IEQ status, while motors automatically adjust environmental conditions based on sensor inputs. The outcomes of this study not only contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable building management, especially post-pandemic, but also demonstrate an advancement in the application of BIM technologies to improve IEQ and by extension, occupant wellbeing in HE buildings.

Keywords: building information modeling (BIM); facilities management (FM); higher education (HE) buildings; indoor environmental quality (IEQ); post-occupancy evaluation (POE) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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