Investigation of work performance in open-plan office with soundscape variation using virtual reality

Abstract

In this study, the relationship between the soundscape elements in the open-plan office (OPO) and the work performance was investigated. The experiment 1 was conducted in real environment, and then evaluation was conducted in the VR environment for the diversity of the evaluation places. For the visual factors, the arrangement of the office equipment and the view through the window were different in the OPO, and the background noise was reproduced variously as the auditory factor. HRTF and head movement were applied to consider the worker's mobility within the VR environment. As a result, it was found that the work performance was increased when the natural elements were increased in the VR environment.