Green Buildings are Healthier

9 min readMar 9, 2020

According to a recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend nearly 90% of their life indoors. Yet the air we breathe indoors is about 2–5 times more toxic than outside. This is due to poor ventilation and off gassing of toxic chemicals from carpeting and furniture.

The Green Building movement has gradually expanded from focusing on reducing water and energy usage to a holistic approach that incorporates how buildings affect the people who reside and work in them.

“In building, wellness is the new sustainability, the goal is to make our built environment more physically healthy for people.” Jonathan Penndorf — Architect at Perkins + Will & Sustainability Advisor for the American Institute of Architects (AIA)

Dr Joseph Allen investigated hundreds of “sick buildings” as a consultant before he became a Public Health Researcher at Harvard. Owners were complaining about high absenteeism from ill employees. Sometimes the solutions were simple, like increasing ventilation, sometimes they were expensive (due to poor construction). Over time Allen realised that a considerable amount of money could be saved if buildings were optimised for human health right from the start.

“People know that their physician plays an important role in their health, but sometimes building managers can play a nearly equal role, the janitor of a school, for example, has a big impact on the health of those kids.”
Joseph Allen

Illnesses associated with sick building syndrome include headache, nausea, nasal and chest congestion, wheezing, eye problems, sore throats, hoarseness, fatigue, chills & fever, weight gain, muscle pain and neurological conditions such as difficulty concentrating or remembering and dizziness. Generally these symptoms abate when people leave the building…

Once a building has been completed more than 90% of the costs associated with it relate to company spending on employees rather than energy and maintenance. However when a firm has assessed the rewards for investing in sustainability, energy savings have been the dominant (if not the only) consideration taken into account. The impact of features such as good natural ventilation and lighting and better indoor air quality on people’s health and performance has not been fully understood.

1.) The Air we breathe

One of the responses to the energy crisis of the 1970’s was to seal up our buildings in order to reduce the costs of heating and cooling. However as a consequence the air inside became stagnant…

These toxins are commonly found in indoor air :-

Volatile organic compounds, which may be emitted from building materials and fabrics, new furniture, cleaning materials, vinyl wall coverings, and office equipment
Microbial volatile organic compounds, such as mold and mildew
Semivolatile organic compounds, which come from fire retardants and pesticides
Inorganic gases, such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide
Particulate matter from burning fuels in cars and from burning combustion products

In 2015 a study by Joseph Allen et al recruited workers in Syracuse, New York to move temporarily to a controlled building. Whilst the recruits carried out their daily duties, the ventilation levels were subtly changed (without telling anyone). At the end of each day the workers were given tests for cognitive function.

The researchers discovered that doubling the ventilation capacity also double cognitive function test scores. Extrapolating the value of that increased productivity to a full year will lead to an average of an additional $6,500 of additional income for the employer from each worker. Not to mention the fact that fewer sick days would be taken… Yet the cost of doubling the ventilation capacity would only cost an additional $14 — $40 per year per person. If energy efficient technologies are used the energy costs would drop to between $1 — $18 per person per annum…

2. More Natural Light

Historically one of the biggest complaints from building occupants has been about lighting. It’s either dark as a tomb or you are blasted by harsh fluorescents. Designers are now using more natural lighting, not only does this save energy, but also a results in a happier & more productive workforce.

Improved lighting can result in a 27% reduction in headaches — this translates to about a $70 saving in healthcare spending per worker per year.

New areas of research are looking at lighting design that is linked to the daily circadian rhythms of the body. For example, blue-enriched light mimics daylight — this can be achieved by using skylights and special light bulbs.

3. Active Design

In the past Staircases were grand structures that showed off craftsmanship and wealth, eventually they began to be tucked away and Fire Safety Codes have tended to reinforce this practice of making stairwells closed off.

Now Staircases are making a comeback.

This Staircase was designed by Perkins + Will for a client in Washington, it’s facing a wall of windows and is bright and inviting. The result is that people are using the stairs more instead of the lift…

Other techniques to increase mobility and interaction between people include clustering printers and water coolers together, as well as creating communal recycling and rubbish bins. Outside streetscapes that encourage walking and cycling are being also being designed.

4. Bringing the Outside In

The Staircase designed by Perkins + Will pictured above is also next to a living wall.

“Plants clean the air and provide a natural, inviting view as occupants go up and down the stairs,”
Jonathan Penndorf

Another way of integrating nature into design is to copy the way that living things have solved problems — biomimicry. Recent examples of Biomimicry include cooling systems that copy the natural air flow in termite mounds, high efficiency fans based on the shape of whale flippers and dirt-resistant paints and coatings modeled after lotus leaves.

Incorporating natural elements into building design is called biophilia, other techniques include placing planters at workstations or opening up views to natural landscapes.

“Studies show the benefits of nature to mental health are significant,”
Jonathan Penndorf

But when it comes to green design, “it is not high-tech gadgetry, a lot of it is good design logic being applied in new ways.”
Jonathan Penndorf

A Harvard Study is recruiting buildings globally to discover the impact of buildings on health and productivity.

“Much of what we know about things like exercise and nutrition comes from the great human epidemiological cohort studies, like the famous Nurses’ Health Study. We haven’t had a similar study done for buildings — until now.”
Joseph Allen

“With an expanded value proposition that now includes productivity along with energy and water savings, we hope more building investors, owners and tenants will choose green building. The research demonstrates that green building is not only good for the environment but also for people — that is a powerful combination.”
John Mandyck, Chief Sustainability Officer, United Technologies

“We know that green office buildings improve health, well being and productivity. This new global study will build upon existing research by demonstrating that relationship on a global scale, further strengthening the case for action. We’re eager to see the results.”
Terri Wills, CEO of the World Green Building Council

Green building benefits go far beyond economics and the environment, they have been shown to bring positive social impacts — mainly around the increased health and well being of people who work and live in green buildings. A 101% increase in cognitive test scores and an average of 46 minutes extra sleep a night for workers in well ventilated buildings has been reported.

Ultimately this will have a positive impact on a company’s profitability…

Call Claire — +27 82 399 0180

bluedesigns5@gmail.com

www.bluedesigns.org

I love Architecture. I think it’s vital to talk about all aspects of Architecture — whether it be planning, construction, design or green building. I have written 3 E-Books & over 110 articles. Please feel free to let me know if you have any queries regarding architecture, planning & construction & I will assist you.

I am originally from the UK and moved to South Africa in 1999. I started Blue Designs in 2004 after working as a driver for Avalon Construction on a luxury home in the Featherbrook Estate. In my spare time I am an artist and writer.

Other Articles I have written include :-

My Imaginary Speech Addressing The United Nations

Building Green? Here are some tips.

Common Mistakes People make when Designing a House

The Advantages of Sustainable Building

Considering Buying or Renovating a Heritage Home? Pros and Cons

Renovation vs New Construction — which is Greener and Better for the Environment?

Bizarre Buildings Part Two — Space Age Fantasy

Weird and Wonderful Buildings Part Three — Three Buildings that make Music

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Sources -

Sources & Further Reading :-

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/urban-expeditions/green-buildings/surprising-ways-green-buildings-improve-health-sustainability/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK54149/

http://www.utc.com/News/CCS/Pages/How-Do-Green-Buildings-Impact-Your-Thinking-Health-Sleep-A-New-Global-Study-W.aspx

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40572-015-0063-y

http://www.eco-business.com/news/the-hidden-health-benefits-of-green-buildings/

http://www.worldgbc.org/benefits-green-buildings

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-07-green-health-occupants.html

https://www.theguardian.com/preparing-for-9-billion/2017/sep/06/green-building-harvard-productivity-health-air-quality

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304723

Call Claire — 011 025 4458