Vol. 12, Special Issue 11 (2023)

Author(s):
T Yasaswini, E Shirin Hima Bindu and V Vijaya Lakshmi

Abstract:
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality inside and around buildings and structures, particularly as it relates to occupant health and comfort. This paper aims to explore the perception of students about indoor air quality in both technological and medical & para medical colleges. An exploratory research method was used to conduct the study in 5 different zones of Hyderabad with 200 students i.e. 100 each from technological and medical & para medical colleges. The results showed that the majority of students in both technological and medical & paramedical colleges perceive the indoor air quality in classrooms and laboratories as good. In the classroom, 39% of students perceive the air quality as good, 31% perceive it as average, 9.5% perceive it as poor, and 3.5% perceive it as very poor. In the laboratory, 54.5% of students perceive the IAQ as good, 15.5% perceive it as very good, 20% perceive it as average, and 3% perceive it as very poor. In the office, 61.5% of students perceive the air quality as good, 23.5% perceive it as very good, 18% perceive it as average, and 4% perceive it as very poor. However, there is a small percentage of students who perceive the air quality as poor or very poor. The correlations between perception of IAQ and various factors such as temperature, feeling suffocated, feeling congested, presence of mouldy odors, and others were generally weak. Further research is needed to understand the underlying causes and develop effective strategies for IAQ improvement. The study findings suggest that it is important to monitor the indoor air quality in classrooms, laboratories and office spaces and to take steps to improve the air quality if it is found to be poor. This can help to protect the health of students and staff and to improve their learning and work environment.