The role of building sector in preserving occupant health for a sustainable development: A review

Abstract

There has been a dramatic rise in research on sustainable development but limited attention is given to human aspects such as their needs and requirements in a sustainable building. The majority of people spend their time mostly indoor, either for working, studying or living. Therefore, it is important to understand the health implications of building on occupants. The impact of indoor environment on occupant health has been largely disregarded. It should be part of the main agenda in progressing towards sustainable development. This paper aimed to discuss the interplay between indoor environment and occupant health and highlighted the role of building sector in preserving occupant health to ensure that buildings can be optimised for the benefit of occupants. A literature search on published works of indoor environment and occupant health has identified four indoor environment parameters that contribute to occupant health. These include indoor air quality, indoor lighting, indoor cleanliness and ergonomic. The impacts of each indoor environment parameter on occupant health were discussed in this paper. The findings will serve as reference for policy makers to preserve occupant health in buildings and as enhancement strategies for sustainable building development to fulfil the human requirements.