New study shows employees aren't happier working in green buildings

Think working in an environmentally green building leads to greater satisfaction in the workplace? Think again.

People working in buildings certified under LEED’s green building standard appear no more satisfied with the quality of their indoor workplace environments than those toiling in conventional buildings, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

The work, which counters the findings of several earlier studies examining the same issue, was done by Stefano Schiavon, an assistant professor of architecture in sustainability, energy and environment at UC Berkeley’s Center for the Built Environment (CBE) and associate professor Sergio Altomonte with the University of Nottingham’s Environmental Physics and Design Research Group.

The findings were published in the April issue of the journal Building and Environment and expand on Schiavon and Altomonte’s previous work on the topic by determining that most workers do not experience a higher level of workplace satisfaction simply because they work in LEED certified buildings–regardless of the building layout, amount of time in the workplace and many other factors.

Schiavon and Altomonte analyzed the survey responses of 21,477 individuals in 144 mainly large office buildings, most in the United States. Of those buildings, 65 are LEED certified. Previous reports by other researchers who reached different conclusions about worker satisfaction were based on much smaller sample sizes and different statistical tests.

“Does this mean that green certification is outdated, just costly or even useless?” asked Schiavon. “Certainly not, especially given the urgency of the environmental challenge and the fundamental role of buildings on people health and wellbeing, climate change and energy security.”

Schiavon and Altomonte did find that LEED-rated buildings may be more effective in providing higher occupant satisfaction when occupants are in open spaces rather than in enclosed offices, and when the buildings are smaller in size.

Occupant satisfaction with LEED-certified office building environments appears to decline with time, with the greatest level of satisfaction reported during the first year that a worker spends in a green building.

One reason for this decline may be that LEED certification is largely based on predictions, without measuring real building performance post-construction. Schiavon and Altomonte said that workplace satisfaction might improve if more design-related information could be collected by assessing LEED certified buildings based on actual operations and performance.

They said they hope their research leads builders and businesses to pay closer attention to:

Designing strategies and solutions aimed at influencing occupant satisfaction and feelings of health, well-being and job performance as part of the LEED certification process
Occupant feedback
The ongoing development of the LEED program towards continuous assessment of building and people performance

The researchers are now studying the most effective LEED strategies for the improvement of office worker well-being and plan to report their conclusions in 2015.

With more effective use of their facilities, streamlining of administration, and thoughtful adoption of high-quality online learning, colleges and universities can raise enrollment by at least 30%, reducing their carbon footprint per student by 11% and lowering their cost per student by 15% with the same level of instruction and better student support.

BDCnetwork MultifamilyPro+ multifamily news website

MFPRO+ News | Oct 6, 2023

Announcing MultifamilyPro+

BD+C has served the multifamily design and construction sector for more than 60 years, and now we're introducing a central hub within BDCnetwork.com for all things multifamily.

Giants 400 | Oct 5, 2023

Top 175 Healthcare Architecture Firms for 2023

HDR, HKS, CannonDesign, Stantec, and SmithGroup top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest healthcare sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue related to all healthcare buildings work, including hospitals, medical office buildings, and outpatient facilities.

Rendering of senior living community entryway

Biophilic Design | Oct 4, 2023

Transforming the entry experience with biophilic design

Vessel Architecture & Design's Cassandra Wallace, AIA, NCARB, explores how incorporating biophilic design elements and dynamic lighting can transform a seemingly cavernous entry space into a warm and inviting focal point.

Regulations | Oct 4, 2023

New York adopts emissions limits on concrete

New York State recently adopted emissions limits on concrete used for state-funded public building and transportation projects. It is the first state initiative in the U.S. to enact concrete emissions limits on projects undertaken by all agencies, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

Architects | Oct 4, 2023

Architects and contractors underestimate cyberattack risk

Design and construction industry firms underestimate their vulnerability to cyberattacks, according to a new report, Data Resilience in Design and Construction: How Digital Discipline Builds Stronger Firms by Dodge Construction Network and content security and management company Egnyte.

Belden-Stratford luxury apartments ornate double-height lobby

Luxury Residential | Oct 2, 2023

Chicago's Belden-Stratford luxury apartments gets centennial facelift

The Belden-Stratford has reopened its doors following a renovation that blends the 100-year-old building’s original architecture with modern residences.

Giants 400 | Oct 2, 2023

Top 30 Data Center Architecture Firms for 2023

Corgan, HDR, Gensler, Page Southerland Page, and HED top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest data center sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Currently Reading

New study shows employees aren't happier working in green buildings

Tags

Government Buildings | Oct 10, 2023

Esports Arenas | Oct 10, 2023

Higher Education | Oct 10, 2023

MFPRO+ News | Oct 6, 2023

Giants 400 | Oct 5, 2023

Biophilic Design | Oct 4, 2023

Regulations | Oct 4, 2023

Architects | Oct 4, 2023

Luxury Residential | Oct 2, 2023

Giants 400 | Oct 2, 2023

Most Popular Content

Magazine Subscription

Get our Newsletters

Follow BD+C: