Cost-benefit Analysis of Design Interventions for Occupant Outcomes
August-December 2021 | Energy, Productivity, Health and the Quality of the Built Environment | Professor Vivian Loftness
Building design can have significant impacts on occupant health, well-being, and performance. However, investments in both green and human-centric building solutions and technologies are still limited by first cost decision-making. Three case studies were developed to identify how building design decisions can impact the return on investment through “long term dollars” of improved indoor environmental quality, productivity and health.
1 | Views of Nature = Individual Productivity
In a 2020 randomized crossover study at the University of California, Berkeley, Ko et al identified a 6% increase in working memory (p<0.01) and a 5% increase in concentration (p=0.03) due to access to window views of nature with a 48% window-to-wall ratio as compared to a windowless shared workspace. (86 participants x 2 window conditions x 1 hour per condition)
2 | Indoor Plants = Student Performance
In a 2020 controlled experiment of two elementary schools in Seoul, South Korea, Kim et al identified an increase in attention capacity through a 52.9% improvement in performance (FAIR-P scores, p<0.05) and a 73.2% improvement in quality (FAIR-Q scores, p<0.05) due to the addition of large potted plants within classrooms (1 plant per student). (n = 70 students in two schools, t = 2 measurement periods x 9 days)
3 | Office Layout = Individual Productivity
In a 2020 uniform crossover experiment of office settings at an office of Booking.com in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Pitchforth et al identifies a 17% increase in perceived productivity (p<0.001) due to implementing a Zoned open-plan office layout with at least 2 phonebooths per room of 40 employees and soundproof doors between the working and collaboration spaces. (n=288 x 4 office layout conditions, t=2 weeks per condition)