THE IMPACT OF GREEN BUILDING ON HEALTH AND WELL BEING The essence of the productivity argument in green office buildings is that certain design attributes enhance occupant health and well-being, therefore resulting in healthier, happier, more satisfied and ultimately more productive workers. Healthier Places to Work The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) as “…situations in which building occupants experience health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in the building and which lessen after leaving the building.” 14 Symptoms typically characterizing SBS include, “… headache; eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odors.” 15 The advent of Sick Building Syndrome has long been linked to reduced ventilation in building driven by a desire for increased energy efficiency in the 1970s and 1980s. Studies show that SBS is likely the result of a number of building characteristics, with the most commonly cited being low levels of fresh air and high levels of indoor pollutants.16, 17 The scope of SBS has been significant, with the World Health Organization (1990) reporting that 30% of buildings globally may
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THE BUSINESS CASE FOR GREEN BUILDING
have indoor environments that contribute to SBS.18 Although reports of SBS have declined in recent years, the issue still persists. As Heerwagen notes in 2010, other research shows that up to 20% of workers may be affected.19 Solutions for building design and operations include reducing pollutant sources and more and better ventilated air,20 with some arguing that if building ventilation is increased to keep indoor carbon dioxide levels similar to outdoor levels, SBS symptoms would be reduced by 70 - 85%.21 The potential upside for businesses of healthier workplaces is too big to ignore. Fisk (2000) estimates that in the United States,“potential annual savings and productivity gains are US$6 to $14 billion from reduced respiratory disease, $1 to $4 billion from reduced allergies and asthma, $10 to $30 billion from reduced Sick Building Syndrome symptoms, and $20 to $60 billion from direct improvements in worker performance that are unrelated to health.”