Indoor air quality is a significant factor influencing occupant comfort, health and productivity. Indoor air comfort and its relationship to occupant comfort and productivity are widely documented. Statistical correlation between the two has been highlighted in scientific literature. This paper investigates any unique correlations between non-air quality parameters (such as lux level, temperature, and noise level) and indoor air comfort and presents a study investigating the effect of indoor environmental quality on occupant air comfort and productivity. This study was conducted by collecting data on indoor environmental parameters using remote sensors and an online survey for occupant responses for twelve months. Data analysis was performed using Response Surface Analysis to present mathematical relationships between indoor environmental quality parameters and occupant air comfort. Results show that carbon dioxide up to 600 ppm, VOC up to 25% (by volume) and humidity up to 60% have a positive impact on occupant air comfort and productivity. Our research highlighted that some non-air quality parameters, such as outdoor temperature and lux levels, affect occupant air comfort. These results would enable built environment professionals to design and operate offices (subtropical desert climate) conducive to occupant comfort and productivity.

Gender equality is a concept that is synonymous with debates towards economic and societal advancement, as manifested through the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 5. This study sets out to identify the key indicators driving gender equality in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and employment in Jordan. This area is both critical and timely in light of emerging challenges facing technological advancement, progressive economies, and wider societal inclusion strategies within the professional environment. This study predominantly employs a quantitative methodology, utilising a survey to evaluate and rank a comprehensive set of indicators/challenges associated with gender equality in the published literature. Feedback is gathered from both male and female participants. The findings of this study reveal certain categories and indicators that are highly ranked compared with others, with practical aspects such as workplace conditions and professional treatment, societal norms and gender stereotypes, and professional perceptions and underlying gender bias being more predominant in Jordan. This study also revealed differing challenges facing gender equality in employment compared with the ones faced in education. This finding resonates with the historical trajectory of academic progress in STEM fields in Jordan, and its divergence emphasises the need for a nuanced exploration to advance gender equality in STEM effectively.

Jordan's built environment is considered a major contributor to local environmental concerns. The construction industry faces pressures to increase the sustainability of its practices through the development of green buildings and their associated rating tools. The reliance on international green building rating tools has proven influence on steering the national sustainable route. However, their application remains challenging when considering the contextual particularities and the multiplicity in building types subjected to them, highlighting the need for their customization. This study describes a research that aims at developing a localized green building rating tool that suits the Jordanian context for multifamily housing. It builds upon an investigation of globally/regionally recognized tools, identifying areas of convergence and distinction, for the aim of their consolidation into the proposed scheme. This was achieved through the deployment of the Delphi technique and the Analytic Hierarchy Process in rounds of facilitated local expert discussions. The outcome is a green building tool (Diana) that is suited to the local requirements and the specificity of building type as compared with other rating tools.

Social sustainability is a key pillar of sustainable development that usually receives less focus and emphasis when compared to other environmental or economic aspects. This entails the need to address this gap, should the concept of urban sustainability be comprehensively tackled. Despite such importance, social sustainability is considered a relatively difficult pillar to measure, considering its entanglements with the concerned individuals, communities, and stakeholders. This study aimed to identify the key barriers to achieving social sustainability in the context of Jordan. It relied on the opinions of three groups of experts, including academics, practitioners, and end users to reach a comprehensive account of understanding such barriers within a multi-faceted approach. The methodology relied on the Delphi technique by identifying areas of consensus and variance in provided opinions. The Kruskal–Wallis test was then applied to identify the inter-group differences and explore the key causes for such differences. The study concluded by developing a comprehensive framework of identified barriers weighed according to their relative importance considering the provided cumulative feedback. In so doing, it represents a step towards a comprehensive model that would assist in understanding, and later enabling, the successful achievement of social sustainability in the studied local context.