The Human Factor - daylight for health, well-being and productivity in offices

Office design is evolving; however, people still spend most of their working hours indoors. It is essential that the workplace delivers maximum comfort for the occupants’ well-being and productivity.

Generations X, Y and Z are now co-workers, each of them with differing work styles and needs. Having the freedom to individually control their indoor environment for their personal preferences helps keep people happy, healthy, motivated and productive.

Ensuring indoor comfort through building design

Exposure to natural light has a positive influence on the comfort and well-being of building users, and on their productivity, making it an essential part of workplace design.

What research tells us

Even minor changes can have a large impact - studies show the connection between natural light levels and productivity in offices can;

Improve function and memory by up to 25% (source Heschong 2003)
Increase processing capacity by up to 12% (source Heschong 2003)
Increase productivity by up to 23% (source Loftness 2003)

Taking simple but highly effective measures when considering the building design can influence the occupants’ productivity in the long term. Offering choice and control of the working environment has a link to engagement, productivity and effectiveness.

Managing thermal comfort

The average outside temperature is increasing and there is a real risk of buildings overheating.

With connected, controlled solar shading you can avoid excessive temperature variations.

For example, during summer, you protect the building and its occupants from overheating due to direct sunlight and, in winter, you can improve insulation and maximize heat gains.

This can lead to a reduction in the energy needed for artificial heating, cooling and lighting, in addition to the financial and well-being benefits gained from the impact on productivity.

Discover more about dynamic solar shading for energy efficiency and sustainability

The cost to productivity

Managing temperatures in offices is an ongoing challenge. In a research study carried out by the FMJ (Facilities Management Journal) in the UK in 2014, 29% of workers estimated they spend between 10-30 mins each day not working due to an uncomfortable office temperature, while 6% said they spend more than 30 mins each day not working efficiently for this reason.

The result suggests that around 2% of office hours are wasted due to the temperature alone, say the research commissioners, potentially costing the UK economy more than £13 billion annually*.

*Assuming an average wage of £26,500; 29.84m UK employees and a 228 day working year.

The importance of good visual comfort

Good visual comfort reduces eye strain and improves long-term well-being. Therefore, in an office environment, where everyone can be working on different tasks and activities, this should be considered and the freedom for users to adjust their environment is essential.

An intelligent and dynamic solution

Through automated and controlled solar shading you benefit from an intelligent and dynamic solution;

• By combining advanced weather sensors, timers, central control units and individual controls you can optimize daylight and save on artificial lighting.

• You can also combat the negative effects of daylight; for example, eliminate glare and filter out annoying reflections on monitors and screens. And in meeting rooms or presentation spaces, for example, you can provide complete darkness when using projectors.

Explore more on our produc t and specification pages.

A positive investment

When it comes to office buildings, creating smarter, greener spaces also brings with it many beneficial business effects, such as; a reduction in operating expenses and a positive ROI, increased market value and better financing deals. And a sustainable building helps bring other employee benefits such as promoting a positive company image with the current and future workforce.

The value of building green

30-50% reduction in energy use (source UNEP 2012)
16% increase in asset value (source American economic review 2009)
35% decrease in carbon emissions (source UNEP 2012)

Worker productivity

“Companies that have invested in natural lighting retrofit to existing facilities have seen worker productivity jump between 13% and 16%“

16 %

(“Greening the Building and the Bottom Line“, Rocky Mountain Institute, 2009)

Energy savings

“Gurtekin, Hartkopf and Loftness of Carnegie Mellon University reported average energy savings of 52% thanks to the use of high-performance daylighting systems.“

52 %

(Carnegy Mellon University, 2004)

Offices

See all references

SkyLabs Heidelberg - Germany

Country: Germany
City: Heidelberg
Date: 2015
Architect

The SkyLabs building represents a landmark within the conceptual design of the "Bahnstadt" – a new quarter in Heidelberg. The "Bahnstadt" is both the biggest urban development project and the biggest quarter …