Assessing alternative air quality measures and their impact on quality of life : the case of Hong Kong

Environmental factors can relate to quality of life (QOL) and are investigated by both subjective and objective measures. A Hong Kong case study is presented showing how deteriorating air quality is impacting liveability and the QOL of its residents. Subjective perceptual and objective measurement differences in air quality are analysed to explain the associations between the built environment and human perception as part of a comprehensive analysis on QOL in Hong Kong, incorporating sample survey data and objective environmental factors. The results vary according to the environmental situation, social conditions and personal experiences of people. Given the effects of acclimatisation of residents to air quality they are exposed to, the relationship between objective and subjective measures of air quality is ambivalent. Variation in perception is place-specific and largely influenced by the interplay between the environmental surroundings and the socio-economic standing of individuals.