Assessing the Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality on Occupant Well-being in Bahrain's Hospitals

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38027/jsalutogenic_vol4no1_3

Keywords:

well-being, quality of life, sustainable healthcare, indoor environmental quality

Abstract

The quality of the indoor environment has substantial impacts on occupant well-being and quality of life. Maintaining a positive indoor environment is particularly critical in complex architectural environments such as healthcare facilities. This paper adopts a mixed methodological approach to assess occupant well-being through architectural design and indoor environmental quality in one of Bahrain’s private hospitals. A total of 54 hospital occupants participated in an online questionnaire to understand their perception of the indoor environment quality and its impact on their well-being. On-site observations are conducted to analyze the current physical state of the hospital from an architectural point of view, and triangulate the results with the questionnaire results. The findings shed light on the importance of outdoor views and thermal comfort in enhancing occupant well-being. The results provide valuable insights to designers and stakeholders to improve the quality of life in hospitals in Bahrain, through design considerations related to the indoor environmental quality.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ackley, A., Olanrewaju, O. I., Oyefusi, O. N., Enegbuma, W. I., Olaoye, T. S., Ehimatie, A. E., . . . Akpan-Idiok, P. (2024). Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in healthcare facilities: A systematic literature review and gap analysis. Journal of Building Engineering, 86, 108787. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2024.108787

Afzal, M. S., Tahir, F., & Al-Ghamdi, S. G. (2022). Recommendations and Strategies to Mitigate Environmental Implications of Artificial Island Developments in the Gulf. Sustainability, 14(9), 5027. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095027

Albuainain, N., Sweis, G., AlBalkhy, W., Sweis, R., & Lafhaj, Z. (2021). Factors Affecting Occupants’ Satisfaction in Governmental Buildings: The Case of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Buildings, 11(6), 231. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11060231

Al-Horr, Y., Arif, M., Katafygiotou, M., Mazroei, A., Kaushik, A., & Elsarrag, E. (2016). Impact of indoor environmental quality on occupant well-being and comfort: A review of the literature. International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment, 5(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2016.03.006

Allan, A. C., Garcia-Hansen, V., Isoardi, G., & Smith, S. S. (2019). Subjective Assessments of Lighting Quality: A Measurement Review. LEUKOS, 15(2-3), 115-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502724.2018.1531017

Alsabbagh, M., & Alnaser, W. E. (2022). Transitioning to carbon neutrality in Bahrain: a policy brief. Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research, 40(1), 25-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/AGJSR-03-2022-0004

Alsabbagh, M., & Alnaser, W. E. (2023). Assessment of climate change mitigation readiness in the Kingdom of Bahrain. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 15(3), 391-411. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-08-2021-0096

Amoatey, P., Omidvarborna, H., Baawain, M. S., & Al-Mamun, A. (2018). Indoor air pollution and exposure assessment of the gulf cooperation council countries: A critical review. Environ Int., 121, 491-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.09.043

Andrade, C. C., Devlin, A. S., Pereira, C. R., & Lima, M. L. (2017). Do the hospital rooms make a difference for patients’ stress? A multilevel analysis of the role of perceived control, positive distraction, and social support. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 53, 63-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2017.06.008

Church, L. (2020). Quiet Time During Postpartum Hospitalization Can Improve Rest, Bonding, and Breastfeeding. Nursing for Women's Health, 24(3), 197-201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2020.03.002

Deng, Z., Dong, B., Guo, X., & Zhang, J. (2024). Impact of Indoor Air Quality and Multi-domain Factors on Human Productivity and Physiological Responses: A Comprehensive Review. Indoor Air, 2024(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/5584960

Dimitroulopoulou, S., Dudzińska, M. R., Gunnarsen, L., Hägerhed, L., Maula, H., Singh, R., . . . Haverinen-Shaughnessy, U. (2023). Indoor air quality guidelines from across the world: An appraisal considering energy saving, health, productivity, and comfort. Environment International, 178, 108127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108127

Elghonaimy, I., & Mohammed, W. E. (2019). Urban Heat Islands in Bahrain: An Urban Perspective. Buildings, 9(4), 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9040096

Fantozzi, F., & Rocca, M. (2020). An Extensive Collection of Evaluation Indicators to Assess Occupants’ Health and Comfort in Indoor Environment. Atmosphere, 11(1), 90. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11010090

Greenfield, K. D., Karam, O., & O'Meara, A. M. (2020). Brighter Days May Be Ahead: Continuous Measurement of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Light and Sound. Front. Pediatr., 8, 590715. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2020.590715

Ha, W., Zabarsky, T. F., Eckstein, E. C., Alhmidi, H., Jencson, A. L., Cadnum, J. L., & Donskey, C. J. (2022). Use of carbon dioxide measurements to assess ventilation in an acute care hospital. American Journal of Infection Control, 50(2), 229-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2021.11.017

Jablonska, J., & Furmanczyk, J. (2024). Healing Architecture in Mental Health Facilities in the New European Bauhaus Context. Buildings, 14(4), 1056. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14041056

Khovalyg, D., Kazanci, O. B., Halvorsen, H., Gundlach, I., Bahnfleth, W. P., Toftum, J., & Olesen, B. W. (2020). Critical review of standards for indoor thermal environment and air quality. Energy and Buildings, 213, 109819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.109819

Kubba, S. (2017). Indoor Environmental Quality. In S. Kubba, Handbook of Green Building Design and Construction (pp. 353-412). Amsterdam: Elsevier. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/B978-0-12-810433-0.00007-1

Lam, B., Fan, E. M., Ooi, K., Ong, Z.-T., Hong, J. Y., Gan, W.-S., & Ang, S. Y. (2022). Assessing the perceived indoor acoustic environment quality across building occupants in a tertiary-care public hospital in Singapore. Building and Environment, 222, 109403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109403

Liu, G., Chen, H., Yuan, Y., & Song, C. (2024a). Indoor thermal environment and human health: A systematic review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 191, 114-164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2023.114164

Liu, Y., Zhang, J., Liu, C., & Yang, Y. (2024b). A Review of Attention Restoration Theory: Implications for Designing Restorative Environments. Sustainability, 16(9), 3639. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093639

Manca, S., Bonaiuto, M., & Fornara, F. (2023). Perceived Hospital Environment Quality Indicators: The Case of Healthcare Places for Terminal Patients. Buildings, 13(1), 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13010057

Mujan, I., Anđelković, A. S., Munćan, V., Kljajić, M., & Ružić, D. (2019). Influence of indoor environmental quality on human health and productivity - A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 217, 646-657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.307

Niza, I. L., Bueno, A. M., & Broday, E. E. (2023). Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Technological Advances, Impacts and Challenges in the Management of Healthy and Sustainable Environments. Urban Science, 7(3), 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7030096

Shajahan, A., Culp, C. H., & Williamson, B. (2018). Effects of indoor environmental parameters related to building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems on patients' medical outcomes: A review of scientific research on hospital buildings. International Journal of Indoor Environment and Health, 29(2), 161-176. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12531

Shen, X., Zhang, H., Li, Y., Qu, K., Zhao, L., Kong, G., & Jia, W. (2023). Building a satisfactory indoor environment for healthcare facility occupants: A literature review. Building and Environment, 228, 109861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109861

Silva, B. V., Holm-Nielsen, J. B., Sadrizadeh, S., Teles, M. P., Kiani-Moghaddam, M., & Arabkoohsar, A. (2023). Sustainable, green, or smart? Pathways for energy-efficient healthcare buildings. Sustainable Cities and Society, 100, 105013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2023.105013

Wu, Y., Z. L., & Kong, Z. (2023). Indoor Environmental Quality and Occupant Comfort. Buildings, 13(6), 1400. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13061400

Yuan, F., Yao, R., Sadrizadeh, S., Li, B., Cao, G., Zhang, S., . . . Professor, B. L. (2022). Thermal comfort in hospital buildings – A literature review. Journal of Building Engineering, 45, 103463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103463

Zhang, D., Raghupathi, W., & Raghupathi, V. (2024). Exploring the Effects of Greenhouse Gases and Particulate Emissions on Quality of Life: A Country-Level Empirical Study. Climate, 12(11), 176. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12110176

Zhang, X., Du, J., & Chow, D. (2023). Association between perceived indoor environmental characteristics and occupants' mental well-being, cognitive performance, productivity, satisfaction in workplaces: A systematic review. Building and Environment, 246, 110985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110985

Zhao, Q., Lian, Z., & Lai, D. (2021). Thermal comfort models and their developments: A review. Energy and Built Environment, 2(1), 21-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbenv.2020.05.007

Downloads

Published

2025-08-13

How to Cite

Alalawi, N., & Allani, N. (2025). Assessing the Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality on Occupant Well-being in Bahrain’s Hospitals. Journal of Salutogenic Architecture, 4(1), 32-50. https://doi.org/10.38027/jsalutogenic_vol4no1_3

Share

Similar Articles

1-10 of 31

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.