The Biophilic Office

2021-08-27T08:37:14Z

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The World Health Organisation expects stress-related illnesses such as mental health disorders and cardio-vascular disease to be the two largest contributors to disease by 2020. As 90% of people's lives is spent in buildings, this means the built environment can play a significant part in preventing ill health and promoting a positive approach to health and wellbeing.

Biophilia (meaning a love of nature) focuses on a human’s innate attraction to nature and natural processes. American biologist and researcher Edward O. Wilson introduced and popularised this hypothesis in his book, 'Biophilia' (1984) defining this as 'the urge to affiliate with other forms of life'.

Biophilic design uses these ideas as principles to create a human-centred approach that when applied improves many of the spaces that are lived and worked in today, with numerous benefits to health and wellbeing.

Incorporating direct or indirect elements of nature into the built environment have been demonstrated to reduce stress, blood pressure levels and heart rates, whilst increasing productivity, creativity and self-reported rates of wellbeing.

In May 2017, BRE announced that they are working closely with architect and interior designer Oliver Heath on a project to evaluate the value of biophilic design to the workplace environment. The project consists of a plan to take a tired and aging 1980s office building on the BRE campus and refurbish it according to biophilic design principles.

The project is named The Biophilic Office and will show how quantified improvements in productivity and wellness can bring rewards for landlords, occupiers, developers and all those concerned with the office environment.

Researchers will carry out a year of pre-refurbishment and a year of post-refurbishment monitoring, evaluating the office environment for daylight, lighting, indoor air quality, acoustic, thermal and humidity comfort. Office occupants will undergo a confidential health evaluation, sign up to a series of online questionnaires and surveys and receive wearable technology to monitor key health metrics.

A design strategy will be developed including tiers of interventions in zones within the office. The products used will undergo laboratory evaluation to establish whether a health and wellbeing potential can be quantified at products level.

= Biophilic Design in the Workplace – Benefits and Examples =

No matter if you are a one-person business or run a company with hundreds of employees, you want to be successful. For that to happen, productivity is of the essence. There are many things around the office that can affect the workers’ performance and interior design is one of them.

While it can be difficult to decide on the best approach, especially when limited by the budget and available space, we can all agree that being surrounded by nature is beneficial for us. As a matter of fact, interior designers and architects often recommend incorporating as many elements of nature into the design as possible. Seeing as how biophilia is the innate affinity that humans have for the natural world, this approach to design is called biophilic. Therefore, biophilic design strives to include various natural aspects into the design of an interior space.

If you decide on implementing this approach in your workspace, you can expect many perks. For example, biophilic design can improve the physical health of employees. As their immunity is improved, the sickness absence rates will be lowered. Then, as people are known to take a few days off due to mental health, it’s good to know that biophilic design can also boost workers’ psychological wellbeing as well by reducing anxiety and depression levels and enhancing their mood. Moreover, elements of nature can also [https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeslacouncil/2019/09/18/12-time-tested-techniques-to-increase-workplace-productivity/?sh=51d080bd274e increase the productivity of an office], which leads to a better bottom line. Another great benefit of biophilic design is that it has the ability to attract and retain top talent, as people are always on the lookout for a workplace that is enjoyable and stimulating.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best ways how you can incorporate elements of biophilic design into your workplace to experience all of these amazing benefits.

== Have plenty of fresh air ==

As you probably know, indoor air can be full of dust, odours, gases, moisture, and other pollutants that can affect our quality of life. We need fresh air to breathe properly, so think of some ways how you can let the fresh air into your workspace and dilute the above-mentioned pollutants.

In case you are just starting to design your workspace and have the ability to build it from the ground up, you want to include many windows that can open. Then, you also need to think about the ventilation system that will get rid of any unpleasant smells, stop condensation and reduce temperatures. Moreover, do the same if you’re remodelling an existing office or turning a spare room into a home office. If you’re working with a smaller budget that doesn’t allow for any major renovations, window replacements, and ventilation upgrades, you want to reduce the sources of pollution. Don’t smoke indoors and don’t allow any [https://www.thespruce.com/foods-not-to-bring-to-the-office-4147570 foods that might stink up the space].

On the other hand, you might be working in a rented space. Even though you won’t be able to change the windows or even open them, for that matter, you want to talk to your landlord to make sure they provide you with a proper ventilation system.

== Introduce a lot of natural light ==

Besides fresh air, we also need sunlight to function properly. Getting enough sunlight exposure can lead to an increase in the production of serotonin, which is a hormone that can boost our mood and help us feel calm. If your workplace is not getting enough sunlight, the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps us sleep, could be triggered. This will have the opposite effect from what you are trying to achieve as you want everyone in the office to be alert and productive. Furthermore, sunlight can also lower anxiety and depression levels, thus improving everyone’s mood.

Once again, if you have the funds, you want to install floor-to-ceiling windows that will ensure your office is showered in natural light. Then, you can also opt for skylights if regular windows don’t provide you with enough light. When it comes to window treatments, you want to keep them sheer to get as much light as possible.

You can look at the Ljubljana Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Slovenia as a great example of incorporating plenty of natural light into the workplace.

== Incorporate natural materials ==

If you’re just now designing your workspace or opting for a bigger renovation project, you want to think about incorporating as many natural materials as possible. Opting for the right materials can help you create a space that mimics the outside and invokes the feeling of calmness.

Fortunately, there are numerous ways how you can add natural materials to your office. For instance, when it comes to flooring, you have a wide array of options to choose from. As you want to stay eco-friendly while incorporating these elements, go with cork, bamboo, or sustainable hardwood. These can work in most office environments but remember to check which ones are best suited for the amount of foot traffic your workplace sees. Additionally, you can also add a few statement walls that are covered in wood.

What is more, search for desks and cabinets that are made of wood as that will add another element of biophilic design to the office. Bamboo and rattan furniture pieces will also look amazing while you can tie everything together with jute rugs.

The Adobe World Headquarters complex in San Jose, California shows how natural materials can be incorporated in everything from furniture to walls, floors and ceilings.

== Opt for a natural colour palette ==

Just like natural materials can invoke the right feelings, so can a natural colour palette. While different shades can have different effects on our mood, nature is full of hues that you should think about including in your office.

For example, wooden floors are a great way to add some browns that are associated with spending time outside in nature. Then, when looking for the right tiles for the office kitchen or bathrooms, you can opt for dark orange or dark green shades. In terms of the walls, your options abound with everything from blues and greens to oranges and yellows.

Alternatively, if your landlord won’t allow you to paint the walls, you can still get various other accessories that will add a touch of nature. For instance, sofas and armchairs for the waiting room can be in light blue, cream, grey or brown. Green carpets can also be used to create a grassy field effect.

== Bring in greenery ==

While you and your employees might not be able to go outside and enjoy nature all day long, you can bring it indoors. The best way to do that is by adding plenty of greenery. As there are many health benefits of plants, you’ll get to enjoy a pretty sight and breathe cleaner air.

For starters, you can opt for [https://www.interflora.com.au/ flower delivery] that will ensure you have fresh bouquets in the office every few days. Then, you can look into the plants which can suit the conditions that your office can provide them with. For instance, if you’re low on natural light despite your best efforts, you can get the cast iron plant, dracaena or monstera deliciosa. For areas where climbing plants would look good, think about pothos, wisteria and heartleaf philodendron. If no one in the office has time to care for the plants, the snake plant, spider plant, and ZZ plant are great low-maintenance solutions.

For a bigger project, you can think about adding a green wall to your workspace. To make the most of it, choose easy-maintenance plants that tolerate low light and dry conditions.

Forest City offices in Cleveland, Ohio use rectangle planters with snake plants to divide the large space while there is also a large-scale green wall.

== Include a water element ==

Something else you can include in your design is a water element. The sound of water can create a soothing atmosphere that will allow employees to focus on their tasks.

When looking for ways to add some water to the space, you can consider a few pre-made [https://www.verywellmind.com/best-indoor-water-fountains-5105297 indoor fountains]. These are easy to find online and incorporate into the office. If you’re working with a bigger budget and specific requirements, you can even get something custom-made. Everything from the size to the shape can be customized so that it fits your workplace perfectly.

== Add nature-inspired art pieces ==

Another method to add some biophilic design elements to your office is displaying art pieces. Even when you can’t go outside and enjoy the pretty sights and sounds of a forest or beach, you can still feel reminiscent of nature and boost your productivity by looking at some scenes from nature.

Paintings and photos are easy to display all over your workplace. You can purchase these from local artists but you can also check with your employees to see whether any of them have some works they would like to show off.

If you’re thinking about redesigning your office for maximum productivity and employee satisfaction, biophilic design is certainly something you have to consider. There are many ways you can incorporate nature into the workplace and countless benefits to this approach.

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This article was originally published [http://brebuzz.net/2017/05/09/can-nature-in-the-workplace-make-us-fitter-happier-more-productive/ here] on 9 May 2017 by BRE Buzz. It was written by Simon Guy.

--[[User:BRE_Buzz|BRE Buzz]]

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The Biophilic Office