The key to working better, sleeping better and feeling better could be rooted in the design, maintenance, and operation of the buildings where we spend the majority of our time, a new Harvard study has found.
The study found that occupants in high-performing green-certified office environments scored 26% higher on tests of cognitive function, had 30% fewer symptoms of sick building syndrome, and 6% higher sleep quality scores than those working in high-performing but noncertified buildings, Harvard.news.edu reported. Brighter, blue-enriched lighting, such as daylighting, in the green-certified buildings was also associated with better sleep quality at night, which in turn led to better cognitive performance the following day.
Green-certified buildings are newly constructed or go through a major renovation and improvement work. The buildings are resource efficient, use less water and energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
