If you tend to find yourself feeling dazed, lethargic or uninspired at work, this could be the result of a poorly ventilated office space.
Studies at Harvard University have shown that people who work in well-ventilated workspaces with lower levels of indoor pollutants and carbon dioxide exhibited considerably higher cognitive functioning results than people who work in spaces with standard levels of toxins and CO2.
“We spend 90 percent of our time indoors and 90 percent of the cost of a building are the occupants, yet indoor environmental quality and its impact on health and productivity are often an afterthought,” said Joseph Allen, assistant professor of exposure assessment science at the Harvard Centre for Health and the Global Environment. “These results suggest that even modest improvements to indoor environmental quality may have a profound impact on the decision-making performance of workers.”
Anthony Manas, the Chief Executive for Cube Workspace in South Africa, is devotedly pro-green. The principle is a driving force behind the design of his spaces, which include solar paneled roofs, LED lighting, insulation in the concrete and chemical-free paint on the walls.
After the 1980s, office buildings have gradually grown to be more energy-efficient. At the same time, however, they have become increasingly impenetrable and cloistered from the outdoor environment, heightening the risks of poor air quality indoors. Contemporary ‘green’ buildings have been devised to deliver energy efficiency as well as good indoor air quality. Until recently, the effect of this implementation has been relatively uncertain.
To investigate the case, researchers at Harvard evaluated the performance of 24 professionals – including designers, engineers, architects, programmers, and managers – in an organised office space for six days, during which the environment was specially channeled to test the quality of indoor environmental air.
The participants were exposed to a variety of fluctuating indoor air qualities on separate days, as they continued to occupy themselves with their regular work. They were also occasionally exposed to artificially raised levels of CO2 across the various air qualities. Cognitive performance tests were used to assess the workers after each day of the investigation.
The results revealed that on average, when compared to conventional environments, green office conditions allowed the participants to double their cognitive performance.
A range of nine different cognitive areas were tested, and the most significant gains were noted in information usage, strategy, and crisis response. Cognitive scores tended to drop as CO2 levels increased.
In light of these findings, it is important to consider your work environment, and how it may be affecting your productivity and state of mind. It is recommended that you opt for a window desk with a view and exposure to light during the day. You may also want to look into pro-green office spaces such as Cube Workspace where you can reap the benefits of energy-efficient building styles.
