Investigating the interrelation of influential parameters on indoor daylight quality using structural equation modeling.

• A structural model for visual comfort in office spaces is presented and confirmed. • The priority of influential parameters is defined. • 17 influential variables were investigated simultaneously for overall visual comfort. • The importance and performance of parameters are defined. • The model is quantitatively validated for office spaces. Daylight quality in office spaces is an essential parameter that affects indoor environmental quality and significantly reduces energy consumption. Several individual, environmental, and physical parameters influence the visual perception of occupants. Therefore, visual comfort is a result of the combination and interconnection of all these factors. This study aims to evaluate and prioritize the factors that have a significant impact on indoor daylight quality, by using post-occupancy evaluation to examine how different variables affect human visual comfort by taking into account the simultaneous and interactive effects of these variables. A new modeling framework is constructed through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the relationships among variables. The proposed model has 57.6% explanatory power for occupants' satisfaction with the lighting environment with R2 = 0.576. Additionally, analysis of the data using the Importance-Performance Map (IPMA) reveals the priority of relevant factors. According to the findings, among the 17 variables studied, horizontal and vertical daylight illuminance, glare sensation, distance from the window, and thermal satisfaction have the greatest impact on visual perception, in that order. Although the other factors studied are still important, in comparison with these factors, have less impact on the assessment visual comfort. Therefore, to improve the quality of office spaces with daylight and increase occupants' satisfaction, the focus should be on enhancing these five factors first. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]