Developing non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) through building design
ISSN: 0263-2772
Article publication date: 28 June 2022
Issue publication date: 19 July 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Physical inactivity has a considerable negative impact on health. Physical activity has reduced partly due to workplace and lifestyle changes, causing people to spend more time in buildings and increasing sedentary behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to address a largely untapped opportunity for designers and managers to improve building users’ health by designing buildings that raise users’ Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) levels. In this research a conceptual model was developed to assess buildings’ performance in providing NEAT-promoting opportunities through building design features and management, in relation to building users’ propensity for NEAT behaviours.
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual model was developed by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers and data to populate the model was obtained through a survey of 75 buildings in Jakarta (Indonesia).
Findings
The presented proof-of-concept shows that the model’s “meso-scale” approach to study physical activity and building design can lead to potential improvements of NEAT levels and physical activity in buildings.
Originality/value
The review of precedent models shows that this subject has been researched at micro-scale (i.e. detailed monitoring of individuals’ movement) and macro-scale (i.e. epidemiological studies of populations’ health). The presented model is original, as it explores a “meso-scale”(i.e. building scale) that is unique.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study has been anonymised for peer-review.Funding details: Anonymised for peer-review.Disclosure statement: No potential conflict of interest is reported by the authors.Data availability statement: Anonymised for peer-review.
Citation
Marsh, A.T.M., Jahja, N.A., Gleed, F., Peacock, O., Coley, D. and Codinhoto, R. (2022), "Developing non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) through building design", Facilities, Vol. 40 No. 11/12, pp. 737-756. https://doi.org/10.1108/F-01-2022-0002
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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