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Abstract
Four factors of indoor air quality were measured in four different areas across two different university residence hall buildings over the period of a month in order to determine differences in the building’s indoor air qualities and to verify survey responses of the building occupants. The factors measured were ambient temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide, and air particulates [PM2.5]. The two buildings were the Margaret Loock Residence Hall and the Grohmann Tower on the Milwaukee School of Engineering campus, and participants of the survey were representative of the MSOE residence population. Data were taken with portable air quality devices. After data collection, the data were then compared between areas to determine any statistically significant differences through Tukey analysis. The Margaret Loock Hall had significantly lower carbon dioxide levels than the Grohmann Tower areas, indicating that buildings with tighter building envelopes require more ventilation in order to control carbon dioxide levels. The relative humidity was consistently low in all areas and buildings, verifying the occupant survey complaints of dry indoor environments. This direct correlation between the data and occupant response proves that occupant perception is accurate and should be considered more when designing indoor environments for comfort and satisfaction.