Increasing fresh air ventilation rate improves office workers' productivity

Low CO2 Concentration, Increased Outdoor Air Ventilation Rate and Low TVOCs = Cognitive Function Scores

Allen et al.1 (2016)

Design Action: a 20-cfm increase of outdoor air ventilation

In a 2014 double blinded controlled exposure study of a controlled office space, in Syracuse, New York, Allen et al. identify a 400-ppm decrease of CO2, a 9.44-l/s increase of fresh air ventilation rate and a 500-μg/m3 decrease of total VOC concentration was linked to a 21% (p<0.0001) increase, an 18% (p<0.0001) increase, a 13% (p<0.0001) increase in an office worker’s cognitive performance in all domains respectively. (n=24)

Energy cost increase2:

$39.87/person

Annual Productivity Savings: Annual Saving ROI:

$3707/person $3667/person N/A

References: [1] Allen, J. G., MacNaughton, P., Satish, U., Santanam, S., Vallarino, J., & Spengler, J. D. (2016). Associations of cognitive function scores with carbon dioxide, ventilation, and volatile organic compound exposures in office workers: a controlled exposure study of green and conventional office environments. Environmental health perspectives, 124(6), 805.

[2] MacNaughton, P., Pegues, J., Satish, U., Santanam, S., Spengler, J., & Allen, J. (2015). Economic, environmental and health implications of enhanced ventilation in office buildings.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(11), 14709–14722. http://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph121114709

Low concentration of bio-effluents = Cue-Utilization Capacity (Productivity)

Zhang et al.1 (2015) In a 2014 blind controlled exposure study in Lyngby, Denmark, Zhang et al. identifies a 16% increase in cue-utilization capacity associated with a decrease of bio-effluents level but not pure CO2 from 1000ppm (12.5 correct links) to 500ppm (14.5 correct links) indicated by CO2 concentration in a blind controlled exposure study with 25 subjects and 5 exposure conditions simulated. (p<0.001) Loveday et al. (2014)4 identifies that higher capacity of cue-utilization is significantly associated with self-rated engagement in behaviors associated with cognitive professional decision making (p=0.02), nominated as an expert by their peers (p=0.03) and superior error management (p=0.048) during formulating solutions of development problems.

Annual Energy cost increase2:

$23.83/person

Annual Productivity Savings: Annual Saving

$2939/person $2915/person

ROI:

N/A

References: [1] Zhang, X., Wargocki, P., Lian, Z., & Thyregod, C. (2017). Effects of exposure to carbon dioxide and bioeffluents on perceived air quality, self‐assessed acute health symptoms, and cognitive performance. Indoor Air, 27(1), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12284 [2] Allen, J. G., MacNaughton, P., Satish, U., Santanam, S., Vallarino, J., & Spengler, J. D. (2016). Associations of cognitive function scores with carbon dioxide, ventilation, and volatile organic compound exposures in office workers: a controlled exposure study of green and conventional office environments. Environmental health perspectives, 124(6), 805.

[3] MacNaughton, P., Pegues, J., Satish, U., Santanam, S., Spengler, J., & Allen, J. (2015). Economic, environmental and health implications of enhanced ventilation in office buildings. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(11), 14709–14722. http://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph121114709 [4] Loveday, T., Wiggins, M. W., & Searle, B. J. (2014). Cue utilization and broad indicators of workplace expertise. Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making, 8(1), 98-113.

Low intelligibility of irrelevant speech + High Outdoor Air VR = Cognitive Performance

Varjo et al. 1 (2016) In a 2012 open plan office laboratory experiment of 65 subjects in Turku, Finland, Varjo et al. identified a 6.7% increase in short memory, a 4% increase in attention focusing, a 0.5% increase in long memory and a 4% increase in typing task performance associated with 6 °C (29.5°C to 23.6°C) decrease of room temperature, 6 dBA (51 to 45) decrease of irrelevant speech noise level and 28 l/s (30 l/s to 2 l/s) increase of outdoor air supply rate(OASR). (n=65, p<0.05) First cost increase3 (sound insulation) Energy cost increase2(OASR) Annual Productivity Savings Annual Savings ROI:

$721/employee $23.83/employee $1091/employee $1067/employee 148%

References: [1] Varjo, J., Hongisto, V., Haapakangas, A., Maula, H., Koskela, H., & Hyönä, J. (2015). Simultaneous effects of irrelevant speech, temperature and ventilation rate on performance and satisfaction in open-plan offices. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 44, 16–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.08.001 [2] MacNaughton, P., Pegues, J., Satish, U., Santanam, S., Spengler, J., & Allen, J. (2015). Economic, environmental and health implications of enhanced ventilation in office buildings.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(11), 14709–14722. http://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph121114709 [3] Sound insulation ceiling panel. http://www.asistorefront.com/p-245-sound-silencer-acoustical-panels.aspx