2.4 Methodology and Aims

The methodology is essentially an integration of information gleaned by means of questionnaire, interview and occupant diaries, together with observation and measurement:

Questionnaire: This established routines in the home, including those relating to heating, ventilation and utility activities (e. g. washing and drying clothes). It also included attitudinal responses to availability of sunlight, private outdoor space and disturbance from neighbours (mainly noise transmission). Finally it included a perceived stress scale, a positive and negative affectivity scale and a series of questions to establish personal well-being.

Interview: Face to face recorded interviews with occupants both facilitated completion of questionnaires and allowed elaboration of detail and attitudes.

Diaries: A number of occupants opted into keeping detailed diaries, recording for example habits relating to opening of windows, setting of thermostats and utility activities.

Observation: This included digital photographs, ambient weather at time of inspections, perceptions as to air quality, occupants’ habits and any relevant ‘quality of life’ factors.

Measurement: These may be categorized as a) measurement from scaled drawings; b) spot measurement of temperature, relative humidity (inside and outside) and carbon dioxide (CO2); c) ditto durational measurements (not in all case studies); and d) ambient meteorological data.

Axiomatically, there are a large number of variables, some of which are induced by occupants and some by the authors of the buildings at the time of building and since. Nevertheless, the aim is twofold: firstly to ascertain if there is an apparent association between sunlight/energy — efficiency attributes and perceived stress, positive and negative affectivity, and health/wellbeing; secondly to do the same in relation to other physical environmental indicators such as temperature (comfort) CO2 and humidity (air quality and risk of mould or dust mite propagation). In the second instance, one has to regard the solar and energy — efficiency attributes as integral; while, in the first instance, it is accepted that many other factors may function as stressors, as well as influencing health and well-being. However, the positive and negative affectivity questions are based on emotions, and as such should connect more with the senses as perceptual systems [6]. It also clearly distinguishes between positive and negative emotions, whereas the perceived stress questions are all intrinsically concerned with negativity; and questions about ailments in the well-being set relate to independent issues such as age. Thus, it is more reasonable to expect tangible associations between availability of sunlight and affectivity than it is with the other two scales.