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Most common factors that influence the choice of material include affordability, socio and cultural factors and climate factors. But critical analysis of material properties reveals the influence of other crucial factors that contribute to choice. These include factors related to human feelings and access to interior space, functional factors like safety, comfort, durability, ease of care, reflection and absorption of moisture, heat, cold and sound and chemical reaction of materials to interior environment like emission of inherent gas. Variation required in different building interior environment influences the selection process.
Human Factors:
- Interiors are designed to provide user friendly environment that is culturally acceptable and fit for use.
- It is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency in work and other activities by increasing convenience of use, reduced errors, increased productivity.
- With improved safety, reduced fatigue and stress, increasing comfort, greater user acceptance, increasing job satisfaction, it improves quality of life.
- In domestic and public spaces people use space for very intimate, personal, social and public activities.
- Interior space meant for personalized intimacy is best appreciated with close observation and personal attention and this invite the use of materials with customization. Materials selected for such an environment could be elaborate, expensive, and delicate with intricate details.
- Personal interior spaces require materials to support specific lifestyles and maintenance requirements. Social spaces that accommodate varied activities should use material that is specific to purpose. The materials used in kitchen are subjected to spillage, in office it is prone to stains and scratches; the materials need to be aesthetic in theatres but have acoustic control; and in public toilets it should ensure cleanliness and ease of maintenance.
- Materials for multi-user space like corridors, staircase, and reception where frequent access and interaction takes place, these should ensure safety, durability and ease of care and withstand wear and tear.
Functional Factors: There are various factors that influence the functional choice in interiors such as safety, durability, comfort, ease of care, fire resistance, and acoustic properties.
- Safety factors include toxicity, health effects, slip resistance, and shatter resistance.
- Durability of material is influenced by sufficiency to withstand wear and tear.
- Comfort emerges as a functional criterion for interior materials that come in contact with the human body.
- Purposeful choices are the materials that absorb moisture and heat from environment and influence internal ambience. Some of the materials are less resistance to abrasion, exposure to sun and UV rays.
- Fire resistance is an important issue in the choice, when materials come in direct contact with heat. When exposed to fire, some materials produce toxic chemicals that may be odorless and produce no smoke or flame.
- Interior materials affect the acoustic quality of a space by absorbing or reflecting the sound within a space, and by transferring sound from one space to another. Interior materials intended to create privacy are used to screen views.
- Materials intended to provide security are often designed to do so unobtrusively, to avoid the perception of being watched.
Environmental Factors:
- The indoor air quality (IAQ) of a space depends on air circulation, exposure to airborne contaminants, temperature and humidity. Materials that emit VOC in environment are more harmful in interiors especially for those who suffer with breathing troubles
- Natural and artificial ventilation systems and fenestration play a decisive role in maintaining indoor air quality.
- Selection of materials that avoid adding contaminating chemicals to the air and that does not encourage the growth of molds or bacteria in interiors, contribute to the environmental quality of the interior.
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