Why Positive Olfactory Perception Is An Issue For Evaluation Of Buildings

The real estate market is changing rapidly and with it the evaluation of buildings.Requirements are being changed in order to meet market demand. Besides the location,infrastructure and the actual condition of a building's technical equipment a further parametercalled the Soft Factor is required in the evaluation of a buildings quality. High endequipped spaces, according to statistics, are more easily let and are therefore the key assets inhigher cash flow portfolios. A factor that can significantly decrease the value of a building islow air quality. The quality of air, however, is not determined by standards, it is determinedby perception. Although thermal comfort plays an important role, olfactory comfort is criticalto this perception of air quality. This paper will show why the real estate market is adapting tothis new paradigm. It will demonstrate why olfaction and the perception of natural fresh airplay such an important role and why it is has become a key issue for the HVAC community.