Don’t you love it when you walk outside and the sun is beaming down on you? Maybe you love going for a walk in nature? It’s no surprise. It makes us feel better. It shouldn’t be any surprise that human emotions and employee productivity are influenced by factors like nature, sunlight, clean air, and temperature.
Numerous studies have confirmed this. Employees who work in sustainably designed, green-certified buildings are happier, healthier, and more productive, according to research.
According to studies, there are some characteristics that help boost employee productivity.
What Are These Characteristics?
Better Air Quality
Research on interior air quality has made the startling discovery that indoor air frequently has higher levels of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, and is thus of lesser quality than outdoor air. The EPA has discovered that VOC levels indoors might be up to ten times higher than those outdoors.
In addition to making buildings less airtight, using an air purifier is one way to improve indoor air quality. The ability of contaminated indoor air to leave the building and be replaced with cleaner outside air is a crucial component of sustainable architecture. Adding more plants, avoiding chemicals, and items that release VOCs, such as carpet glue and plastics, can all enhance indoor air quality.
Lowered Humidity
The thermal comfort standards for office workers have been established by the ASHRAE, or American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. They discovered that workers prefer lower humidity levels.
Lower humidity not only makes workers more comfortable but also increases productivity, according to recent studies. According to research, people within the ASHRAE comfort zones outperformed those who did not by 5% on cognitive tests.
Indoor air quality and high humidity levels both affect the structural soundness of a building. Materials decompose and release poisons and chemicals into the air. Reduced humidity can lessen this.
More Natural Light
In buildings with green certification, researchers have discovered improved cognitive function scores and fewer health problems. More natural light is one advantage these structures offer over structures with traditional architectural styles.
The cyclical benefits employees experience are what make bringing natural light to a building so incredible. More daylight enhances sleep. Better sleep increases worker productivity and cognitive test results. This was very true in the niche test for crisis response. Employee cognitive function in crisis response increased by 73% in green-certified facilities.
Biophilic Design
This is the best option if you’re searching for a quick and affordable way to boost employee productivity. Bringing plants indoors has several additional advantages. Plants aid in raising oxygen levels, lowering humidity, and bringing people closer to the outdoors. It has been demonstrated that each of these advantages increases productivity differently.
Not just businesses and employees stand to gain from this. Anyone who lives in a sustainable environment whether they are a baby in a nursery, a senior citizen playing a board game, or an author working on their latest book, benefits from sustainable environs. Regardless of the particular setting, sustainable design is a good idea.
Research from the University of Queensland shows that bringing plants to the workplace enhanced employee productivity by 15%. It’s very easy to include natural components.
Become a Sustainably Designed Office.
As we can see, becoming a sustainably designed office leads to greater productivity and happier employees. Start small by filling spaces with indoor plants, allowing for more natural light to crawl in, and open windows for improved air quality.
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This article was written by Martin Desmond of Wizer, a company that installs solar panels in Ireland. Martin and his team provide comprehensive domestic and commercial PV systems and Zappi Charger installation services nationwide.
