Indoor Health and Comfort in Green Building Concepts in Multi-Storey Buildings

Global warming is driven by various factors, including environmentally damaging construction practices. The building sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for a significant portion of global energy consumption during both the construction and operational phases. Green buildings emerge as a comprehensive response to these challenges, aiming to maximize energy efficiency, protect the environment, reduce pollution, maintain occupant health, optimize space utilization, and harmonize with nature throughout their life cycle. One critical aspect of green building assessment is Indoor Health and Comfort (IHC), which focuses on ensuring healthy and comfortable indoor environments for building occupants. IHC encompasses a range of parameters, including CO₂ and CO monitoring, indoor air conditioning and air quality measurement, humidity control, lighting adequacy, acoustic levels, and overall building user comfort surveys. Since people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, poor indoor environmental quality can lead to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), adversely affecting occupant productivity, health, and well-being. In Indonesia, the Green Building Council Indonesia (GBCI) has developed the Greenship rating system as a national framework for evaluating green building performance. Among its six main criteria, IHC plays a pivotal role in ensuring that buildings support healthy indoor environments. However, the concept of green buildings, particularly the IHC criterion, remains in a developing stage across Indonesia, with many existing buildings yet to meet the established standards. This study analyzes the IHC assessment at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, a multi-storey academic building complex serving a large number of students, lecturers, and staff. The research employs a qualitative approach combining a systematic literature review and a rating system evaluation based on the Greenship Existing Building Version 1.1 standards issued by the GBCI. Primary data were collected through direct observation, while secondary data were sourced from respondent surveys and supporting documentation. Among the eight IHC indicators evaluated, including outdoor air introduction, CO₂ and CO monitoring, pollutant control, thermal comfort, visual comfort, acoustic levels, and building user surveys, the Faculty of Engineering building scored 6 out of a possible 20 points. This result indicates significant room for improvement in IHC implementation. It is important to note that this paper focuses on analyzing the IHC criteria based on a case study approach, rather than pursuing formal GBCI certification. The findings are expected to contribute to scientific knowledge and provide practical recommendations for enhancing indoor health and comfort standards in multi-storey buildings in Indonesia.