Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Construction Management

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

The built environment significantly influences human well-being, particularly in the context of stress recovery and cognitive restoration. This dissertation investigates the impact of visual stimuli, particularly green walls, on human responses related to stress, restoration, and thermal comfort. The research is guided by three primary objectives: (1) examining the role of visual stimuli and their properties in promoting stress recovery and restoration, (2) evaluating the potential of Immersive Virtual Environments (IVEs) as tools for delivering and studying restorative environments, and (3) investigating the influence of green walls on indoor environmental conditions.

A series of experimental studies were carried out to achieve these objectives. The preliminary pilot study examined how various natural objects and their visual properties influence attention within both real and virtual office environments. Eye-tracking technology was employed to measure participants' attention and identify the properties that attract attention and potentially contribute to restoration. The findings highlighted the importance of natural objects in capturing attention and suggested that certain properties, such as size and location, play a significant role.

Subsequent studies focused specifically on green walls, examining their size, presence, and environmental effects. One study investigated the impact of varying green wall sizes in virtual environments on participants' stress recovery and restoration. The results revealed that the size of the green wall did not significantly influence restoration outcomes, suggesting that the restoration process may be conceptual in nature and not strictly dependent on the intensity or size of the visual stimuli. This insight has practical suggestions for the design of restorative environments in spaces with physical limitations.

The dissertation also compares the restorative effects of real and virtual green walls, providing insights into the potential of IVEs to simulate nature's benefits. Findings indicated that while virtual green walls can elicit similar physiological and psychological responses to real ones, differences emerged over time, with the virtual exposure losing some of its restorative efficacy. This pattern underscores the need for further investigation into the temporal dynamics of virtual exposure.

Finally, the research explored the impact of green walls on indoor temperature and humidity. Results showed that the green wall contributed to increased humidity and minor temperature variations, suggesting a potential role in passive climate regulation.

The results of this research enhance the broader understanding of biophilic design and highlight the potential of IVEs in studies on restorative environments. The dissertation concludes with practical design recommendations and future research directions focused on exploring different visual properties, enhancing methodological approaches, and applying advanced data analysis techniques, such as machine learning, to model restorative responses in real and virtual settings.

Date

4-4-2025

Committee Chair

Zhu, Yimin

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