Factors influencing window opening behavior and mechanical ventilation usage during summertime: a case study in UK dwellings

The study presents findings of a data collection campaign conducted in 61 residential buildings in England during the summer of 2022, aiming to investigate the factors influencing 1) window usage, and 2) activation and deactivation of mechanical ventilation systems, and 3) the correlation between the residential soundscape, landscape, individual noise sensitivity, and the significance attributed to the external acoustic environment in determining window usage. The survey, covering 55 dwellings reliant on windows for ventilation, highlights that window opening is predominantly driven by perceived indoor air quality (PIAQ) and thermal comfort concerns. Conversely, the acoustic factor ranks first in prompting window closure, alongside considerations related to perceived cold, safety concerns, excessive drafts, and insect intrusion. Within the 6 dwellings utilizing manually controlled mechanical ventilation, ventilation needs emerges as the predominant factor triggering system activation, followed by considerations related to thermal comfort and PIAQ. Reasons for system deactivation primarily involve a preference for window opening, excessive drafts, and, secondarily, excessive noise or thermal discomfort, with participant-voiced concerns about operational costs. The significance attributed to the external acoustic environment in determining window usage is mainly independent of perceived sound sources, measured loudness, or soundscape content. However, higher acoustic comfort scores correlate with a greater willingness to open windows for an acoustic contact. Interestingly, noise sensitivity modulates the importance attached to the external acoustic context when interacting with the window (odds ratio: 1.04). The study underscores the need of incorporating noise sensitivity as a relevant individual factor in models simulating window closing behaviour.