Sustainability works

> People-centric benefits of ‘going green’ at work

when choosing plants to incorporate in an area. (The study also appeared in our October interior design article.)

By implementing measures to keep the air clean and healthy, the need for mechanical ventilation is reduced, which in turn, reduces the energy needed to power the ventilation. The outcome: lower costs.

VIEWS AND VISTAS

Studies suggest that being able to look out the window and take a rest from the computer screen (or whatever “gadget screen” you are working on) gives your eyes a moment to reset. This results in a 7% to 12% increase in productivity.

A study by environmental psychologist Roger Ulrich is one of the most heavily cited studies to support this fact. Findings revealed that looking at nature garnered a more positive impact on the recovery process of hospital patients compared to those who lived in sterile environs (who took a lot longer to recover from their illness).

Scientific American writer Deborah Franklin also noted in her article “How Hospital Gardens Help Patients Heal” — that multiple studies have proven that spending just three to five minutes looking at views dominated by trees, flowers or water, can reduce anger, anxiety and pain, while also inducing relaxation.

If one has access to nature views from your work space, there is huge chance that one also receives sufficient amounts of daylight filtering into the work space.

Why is it important to invite daylight into the work space? Well, besides the Vitamin D the body produces via skin being exposed to sunlight, Huggett says that in the era of digital work spaces, the unnoticed and subtle blue light emitted from computers and electronic devices affect our circadian rhythm (otherwise known as our body’s internal/natural clock).

“Because our sleep cycles are regulated by this ‘clock’ which is affected by external factors like daylight and nighttime, and because our brain is ‘tricked’ by this blue light (which suppresses melatonin) — our circadian rhythm gets messed up, interrupting the quality of sleep and sleep cycles,” Huggett explained.

Therefore, looking that there is more than one benefit to giving nature the once-over, try to invite some sunlight into your office space and gaze at nature every now and then. Bosses, don’t penalise employees for “looking out the window” or “sun gazing”, stealing time away from the device they’re working on – you’ll reap the benefits in higher productivity and fewer MCs among other ways.

AMENITIES AND LOCATION

Having amenities such as shops, restaurants and gyms is much more than just being able to enjoy a lovely setting to your surrounding office environment; it encourages people/ employees to spend time outside – think fresh air, greenery, sunlight, and keeping active.

In terms of location, having really good public transport connections or even cycling facilities, will have an impact on both the employee’s health and the environment. Having amenities situated “near enough” will encourage people/employees to take time off and leave their work spaces, encouraging one to get mobile/active, yet without requiring the use of a motorised/carbon-emitting vehicle.

The end goal is to encourage “active transport”, which in turn reduces building associated transport emissions Huggett informed. Side benefits include better health as being active is good for the heart and overall wellbeing.

COMFORTABLE AND PERSONAL WORK SPACES

According to Huggett, giving people some personal freedom over their work space can increase productivity by about 3%. She suggests allowing staff the freedom to open windows (if at all they have access to a window) for appropriate lighting and temperature control of their working environment. She also says flexible seating arrangements, as in having the free-hand to decide where to sit, has an impact, on the company, the individual and the environment.

From “hoteling” (unassigned/ reservable office spaces) to “hot desking” (minus the reserve function, which turns out like a first-come, firstserved concept) and “alternative workplace strategy” (covering a broader idea of work spaces that define work zones beyond the usual cubicles and offices, as in outdoors or even indoors as in huddles in conference rooms, office pantries, etc.) — as in all circumstances, there are pros and cons.

However, Huggett shared that office designs which include more social spaces and visible staircases are one of her favourite health and wellbeing elements. “These are brilliant thinking; they get people to move around more and interact with their colleagues more,” she explained.

The freedom to choose one’s preferred work area and being able to select comfortable surroundings and control temperatures have positive effects; based on the idea of creating stronger social groups that can produce better business results and cultivating better chi/positive energy, etc.

This “conscious design” also uses less energy without the need for lifts. However, Huggett added, “It doesn’t work as well in high rise situations though. But even if within the floors of your spaces, people could take the lift up to your portion of the high rise at the beginning of the day, then the rest of the day, move between the different floors via the staircase.”

In open-plan office layouts, the resulting background noise may pose a problem for concentration. Huggett recommends designing a variety of spaces so people can choose quiet or noisy areas to suit their preference. “Having a wide variety of space and the option to choose actually really helps people to move around and maximise their productivity at any one point.”

Towards the end of her talk, Huggett shared that there is no point having healthy buildings which are good for the environment but not the people.

In her role at the UK-GBC, Huggett says: “People respond to the ‘health in productivity’ argument in a way that they don’t with sustainability. Campaigning and working towards a more sustainablebuilt environment is always good for people in the long-run.” She summons governments and those in the building industry to create buildings that are not just good for the environment, but supports healthier, happier and more productive lives.