The Effect of Self-Sufficiency in Interior Design and Its Reflection on User’s Behavior within Built Environments

Abstract

This research studies the importance of self-sufficiency and its relationship to interior design and its effect on user behavior within built environments. Interior designers must take into account design elements that achieve self-sufficiency in the built environments, such as: energy, ventilation, lighting, water treatment and self-maintenance. The research problem lies in the lack of a clear vision and basis on which to draw upon to know the impact of self-sufficiency in interior design and the dangerous effects it has on the built environment and on the behavior of users and the effective impact of these elements, directly or indirectly, which in turn affect comfort, well-being, health and safety, and the privacy of individuals within their environments. The main question comes to know what the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in interior design is and how it might affect the behavior of users within the built environments. The methodology used in this research is descriptive and analytical, whereby questionnaires and personal interviews were made with a group of users within their built environments, the results were analyzed and the necessary recommendations were made in this research. The results of the research revealed that self-sufficiency affects the behavior of users positively and is reflected in their daily activities within the built environments, self-sufficiency in interior design plays a clear role in influencing the comfort, well-being, health, safety and privacy of users, and finally, this effect is tangibly reflected on their performance, productivity and loyalty to their environments.