Center for the Built Environment

This report outlines the results from an occupant survey of satisfaction with thermal comfort and air quality in three California mixed-mode office buildings. Mixed-mode refers to the relatively new design strategy of explicitly integrating natural ventilation with mechanical cooling and ventilation services. Each of the research sites includes operable windows along with a complete HVAC system. Survey results indicate that access to operable windows has a significant positive impact on reported satisfaction with air movement, ventilation, and air quality. Occupants also indicate that they are more likely to use operable windows for air movement and air quality control than for temperature control.