Perceived Indoor Environmental Quality Across Dubai Homes: Demographic and Building Predictors Under Hot–Arid Conditions

Abstract

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is a critical determinant of comfort and health in residential buildings. However, existing research remains fragmented, with limited large-scale evidence addressing multiple IEQ domains and demographic diversity in residential contexts, particularly in hot–arid regions such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Drawing on a large-scale household survey (N = 543 participants), the study adopts a multidomain approach integrating perceived thermal, lighting, acoustic, indoor air quality (IAQ) comfort, alongside odor perceptions. Principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression (MLR) were used to examine how building characteristics and sociodemographic factors influence perceived IEQ in Dubai residential buildings within a rapidly-urbanizing, hot–arid, and demographically diverse context. Findings showed elevated dissatisfaction linked with dust exposure and thermal extremes, reflecting environmental challenges typical of desert climates and mechanically cooled housing. PCA identified two latent IEQ constructs: a multisensory comfort component integrating thermal, lighting, and acoustic perceptions; and an IAQ component driven by pollutant exposure and olfactory sensitivity. MLR results showed that perceived IEQ differed according to demographic, health, and sociocultural characteristics: dust allergy and migraine were associated with higher frequencies of perceived discomfort across all IEQ domains; passive smoking was associated with increased thermal–lighting–acoustic discomfort and odor perception; whereas perceived IAQ dissatisfaction was additionally associated with older age and African nationality. Results also demonstrated significant associations with building-related factors, including ventilation systems, moisture-related issues, and material emissions: water leakage was significantly associated with higher discomfort across IEQ domains; new carpets were associated with increased odor perception and thermal–lighting–acoustic discomfort; whereas split HVAC systems were associated with odor perceptions, indicating ventilation limitations. This study provides new empirical evidence on demographic and building-related predictors of IEQ in hot–arid residential environments and supports the development of building design and operation strategies addressing occupant characteristics and indoor environmental conditions.