Olfactory Environmental Quality in Office Environments: A Neuroarchitecture Study of Multimodal Responses to Contrasting Hedonic Ambient Odors

What the study found

Fourteen adults worked in two identical offices that differed only in ambient odor. With jasmine they reported more enjoyment and less annoyance and discomfort, and rated the room as better proportioned (exploratory). EEG, electrodermal, pulse rate variability and task measures showed no robust differences between the odors.

Limitations

Very small sample and only two strongly contrasting odors; the null physiological results may reflect low power rather than no effect.

Neurodesign interpretation

Ambient odor seems to shape how people judge an indoor space even when body and task measures do not move, so smell may belong in IEQ assessment as a perception measure rather than a performance lever.

Possible design implications

Hypothesis: ambient odor may be worth including in IEQ assessment as a measure of how a space is perceived, not as a performance lever.

Study design

Experimental study (within-subject)

Population

Adults, Australia. Sample: 14.

Setting

Two physically identical real offices, one scented with jasmine (pleasant) and one with rotting orange peel (unpleasant)

Field

Olfaction, Indoor air quality, Neuroarchitecture

Mechanism

Air quality perception, Hedonic odor appraisal

Spatial variable

Scent / odor

Keywords

scent / odor, air quality perception, hedonic odor appraisal

Notes and follow-up

Related records: ND-0084, ND-0085, ND-0086, ND-0018.