Key Perceptual Dimensions of Office Smellscapes

A recent study, published this month on the journal Building and Environment, has shed new light on the complex relationship between people, scents, and the built environment, opening the door to a more nuanced understanding of indoor smellscapes in office spaces.

Despite growing interest in how indoor odors affect our well-being and productivity, until now, a comprehensive and standardized system to capture all crucial perceptual dimensions of these environments has been lacking.

To bridge this gap, researchers of Eurac Research, in collaboration with University of Trento, conducted an innovative sensory test in the Facade System Interaction living lab at NOI Techpark in Bolzano: 42 participants immersed themselves in 22 distinct olfactory scenarios, each representing typical scents encountered in office settings. Using an olfactometer, these scenarios were delivered in a controlled manner, with participants evaluating each one across 80 unidirectional scales—each scale designed to probe a different aspect of human response to indoor smells. Participants rated the degree to which each descriptor matched their olfactory experience, using a visual analogue scale from 0 to 100.

The wealth of data was analyzed through Principal Component Analysis, revealing three predominant perceptual dimensions: Pleasantness, Presence, and Naturalness. These accounted for 64.78%, 13.61%, and 6.91% of the total variance, respectively—underscoring their primary roles in shaping our perception of indoor smellscapes. Building on these insights, the research team has proposed a novel measurement system, structured around a two-dimensional model.

"The axes of Pleasantness and Presence form the core of this system, while two additional axes—Engagement and Power—are rotated 45° within the same plane, offering further granularity. This innovative framework not only identifies key perceptual constructs to be measured during post-occupancy evaluations, but also specifies specific attribute scales, paving the way for more consistent and actionable assessments of indoor environments. This new model marks a significant step forward in environmental design and evaluation, promising to enhance the health, comfort, and productivity of office workers through a deeper appreciation of the scents that shape our everyday experiences" explains Giulia Torriani, first author of the article.

Here the original article

The scientific article was developed within H2020 MEZeroE project which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 953157.