Work

Sustainability-Qualified IEQ Indicators for Academic Buildings: A Systematic Review (2010–2025) and SDG-Aligned Framework

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) strongly influences health, comfort, and learning performance in academic buildings, yet assessment practices remain fragmented and rarely aligned with sustainability goals. This study conducted a PRISMA 2020-guided systematic literature review to identify, screen, and map IEQ indicators for educational facilities and to develop a sustainability-aligned framework for classroom evaluation. Searches of Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science (2010–2025) yielded 365 records; after de-duplication and eligibility screening, 142 peer-reviewed studies were included. From these, 118 unique IEQ indicators were extracted and classified into six domains: thermal comfort, indoor air quality, acoustic quality, visual comfort, environmental quality, and spatial quality. Using sustainability-oriented screening criteria (measurability, relevance, reliability, data accessibility, understandability, and long-term applicability), 50 indicators (42%) were retained as methodologically robust, while 68 (58%) were excluded due to weak standardization or limited practical applicability. The retained indicators were systematically mapped to the environmental, social, and economic pillars and aligned with key SDGs (3, 4, 7, 11, and 13). The resulting Sustainability-Aligned IEQ Indicator Framework integrates quality-screened indicators with pillar/SDG alignment and a mixed-method pathway that combines objective monitoring and occupant perception, supporting context-sensitive evaluation, particularly for naturally ventilated and tropical learning environments.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su18094260

Authors: Cyma Adoracion Natividad, Joel Opon

Institution: Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Building Energy and Comfort Optimization

Subfield: Building and Construction

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896