Search results

The use of indoor living plants for enhancement of indoor relative humidity and the general environment of a large, modern, open plan office building are studied using a mixed-methods paradigm.

The quantitative element involved designated experimental and control zones within the building, selected using orientation, user density and users’ work roles criteria. For a period of six months, relative humidity was monitored using data loggers at 30 min intervals, and volatile organic compounds were measured using air sampling. Qualitative “perception data” of the building’s users were collected via a structured questionnaire survey among both experimental and control zones.

Study findings include that living plants did not achieve the positive effect on relative humidity predicted by (a-priori) theoretical calculations and that building users’ perceived improvements to indoor relative humidity, temperature and background noise levels were minimal. The strongest perceived improvement was for work environment aesthetics. Findings demonstrate the potential of indoor plants to reduce carbon emissions of the [as] built environment through elimination or reduction of energy use and capital-intensive humidification air-conditioning systems.

The study’s practical value lies in its unique application of (mainly laboratory-derived) existing theory in a real-life work environment.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the effects of indoor plants on customers' shopping decisions in the restaurant environment.

The assumption of the research is that there is a relationship between restaurants where indoor plants are used and the customers' shopping decisions (restaurant entry and purchase). A hypothetical study was performed to test this assumption that was based on the digital images of two different restaurants (restaurant with and restaurant without indoor plants) modelled in a virtual environment. The Likert scale questionnaire used in this study was completed by 335 participants.

Results indicated that restaurants designed with indoor plants had a more positive effect on the shopping decisions of participants than restaurants designed without indoor plants. The statistically significant results between evaluations of customers and their demographic backgrounds were determined. The male participants with a 26–35 age range showed more positive opinions about the plant designed restaurants than female participants with a 36–55 age range. Also, higher education graduate participants showed more positive opinions about the plant designed restaurant than secondary education graduate participants.

This paper reveals a significant relationship between restaurant design and shopping decisions. Results of the study suggest that retailers and designers may be able to make easily stores more appealing for customers by designing them with indoor plants.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the indoor environmental quality benefits of plants in offices by undertaking trials using live plants.

Using two offices in the same building, one with plants and one as a control, daily tests were undertaken for relative humidity, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Results were analysed to identify any differences between the office with plants and the one without.

Relative humidity increased following the introduction of plants and more significantly following additional hydroculture plants being installed, taking it to within the recommended range. Carbon dioxide was slightly higher in the planted office for the majority of the trial, although there was an overall reduction in both offices. Carbon monoxide levels reduced with the introduction of plants and again with the additional plants. VOC levels were consistently lower in the non‐planted office.

It would be useful to extend this research in a greater range of buildings and with more flexible VOC‐monitoring equipment.

This paper suggests that plants may provide an effective method of regulating the indoor environmental conditions within buildings. This can potentially lead to performance gains for the organisation and a reduction in instances of ill health among the workforce.

The majority of previous studies have relied on laboratory work and experimental chambers. This research aims to apply previous findings to a real working environment to determine whether the air‐purifying abilities of plants have practical relevance in the workplace.

The paper aims to identify and demonstrate the benefits of plants in offices in contributing to employee health and well‐being by applying the study to a working office.

Via comprehensive literature reviews, the paper identifies the importance of indoor plants in office environments, firstly through physically improving the air quality and removing pollutants and secondly in improving employee well‐being through psychological benefits.

It is argued that plants are important in removing indoor air pollutants and in increasing employee perceptions of well‐being. The paper identifies, through literature review, plants with the ability to remove common office pollutants. It shows that there is a general preference for plants in offices through a perception survey and that occupants of planted offices feel more comfortable, more productive, healthier and more creative and feel less pressure than occupants of non‐planted offices.

The empirical research presented was limited to one office building. Research is now continuing, with the survey currently being completed by occupants of various offices throughout the UK.

The paper argues that indoor plants should become an integral part of corporate real estate strategies and that they have potential to alleviate sick building syndrome symptoms.

This paper provides an insight into how plants can be incorporated within corporate real estate strategies to improve employee health and well‐being and improve perceived productivity. It brings together two separate strands of research into the benefits in physically improving air quality and the psychological benefits of plants to humans.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate office users' perceptions of their working environment in relation to the addition of plants.

Office users' perceptions were examined using a survey, administered to an experimental group and a control group before and after the installation of plants. The results were analysed to determine any statistically significant differences between the two groups and between the pre‐ and post‐test surveys for the experimental group. Absence data were analysed to establish any changes in absence rates.

Significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups for the work environment contributing to pressure, health concerns, morale and preference for plants. There were also perceived improvements in productivity, pressure, privacy and comfort although these were non‐significant. Sickness absence reduced substantially in the area with plants and increased slightly in the control area.

It would be useful to extend this research over a longer time frame and in a greater range of buildings to validate the results.

By providing well‐designed workplaces, including living plants, organizations can potentially improve employee perceptions, leading to performance gains and reduced absence. This paper suggests that significant savings can be achieved in comparison to the cost of plants.

The role of indoor nature has received relatively little attention compared to the number of studies on outdoor nature. Additionally, this paper applies the research to a real working environment as opposed to experimental designs, which have formed the majority of previous studies.

This paper aims to review available research into the impact of plants on people and labour productivity in order to test a number of hypotheses and the reliability and validity of “evidence based” statements.

An extended literature review was conducted of research concerning the potential impacts of plants on people and labour productivity. In order to be able to compare the findings of different researchers, an analysis was made of similarities and dissimilarities with regard to the research context, starting‐points and test methods.

The paper identifies a lack of precise descriptions of the research design and poor comparability between different research with regard to the characteristics of the plant, test persons, test procedures, surrounding conditions and contents of the reports. Although it can be concluded that plants can have a positive impact on the productivity of human beings, it is remarkable that in research reports and research papers the properties of the plant itself are only mentioned by exception. The condition of the plant – whether it is healthy or not – is not described at all.

Only 17 studies and underlying papers were investigated and no new research was conducted with the proposed improvements.

The findings can be used by managers to legitimate investments in plants and by researchers to improve (the comparability of) research into plants.

In addition to the review of the impact of plants on different types of productivity a vision is presented about the impact of the vitality of plants. Furthermore recommendations are given on how to cope with the methodological problem of poor comparability of research.

This paper aims to explore the impact of buildings on the creation of healthy workplaces (HWs) and end users’ physical and mental health and well-being. The paper presents available research on the impact of workplace layout, interior design, indoor climate and “green” offices. It ends with reflections on the main lessons learned, gaps in our current knowledge and suggestions for further research.

A literature research has been conducted of all papers in four corporate real estate management and facilities management-oriented journals from 2008 to 2017 that discuss health and well-being and related topics such as satisfaction, productivity and creativity.

A conceptual model to analyse impact factors for HWs covers the influence of many different variables. Most papers only discuss a particular influencing factor, mainly plants and indoor climate. Various papers show that the spatial layout, in particular the level of openness and opportunities for communication, concentration and privacy and interior design have an important impact on user satisfaction, perceived productivity support and creativity. These factors may have a positive impact on HWs as well and can also be benefits of HWs.

The paper identifies, which factors are important to consider for creating HWs and potential benefits of HWs.

This paper discusses the role of CREM and FM in creating HWs and reflects on the available knowledge, current omissions and the need for transdisciplinary follow-up research.

This paper aims to examine the role of sustainable buildings in providing healthy workplaces in physical and perceptual terms.

The paper takes the form of a literature review, considering the history of sustainable development in the built environment and its rationale, then widening the scope to consider sustainable, healthy and productive workplaces.

Sustainable construction has focused on environmental sustainability but this may have contributed to improved health, satisfaction and wellbeing amongst building users. Sick building syndrome and poor indoor air are contributory factors to ill health and reduced productivity but this paper suggests that sustainable building practices will reduce these effects, improving the quality of buildings for their occupants.

This paper argues that building performance measures need to take account of people factors such as employee perceptions and also that the design of workplaces should be regarded as a strategy for productivity enhancement. Management issues should be considered in the design of workplaces. The paper concludes that further research is required into the role of sustainable construction in providing healthy buildings.

The paper makes practical suggestions for corporate real estate and facilities management teams as well as those involved in the design of the buildings. Additionally, it opens suggested avenues for further academic research.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate a holistic way of incorporating biophilic building design that creates a restorative environment attractive to prospective urban hotel employees. This study additionally examines the role of perceived well-being from nature attributes and associated impacts on emotions and likelihood to choose to work for a hotel with nature attributes.

This study used a conjoint analysis to detect the most resotrative individual and combinations of biophilic attributes that can improve employee well-being. In addition, nature attributes influence on emotions and intentions to work for a hotel were analyzed.

Results showed that not all nature attributes are equally evaluated by urban hotel prospective employees. In this study, the authors found that natural lighting, outdoor green views and indoor landscaping are important factors in the evaluation of an urban hotel with biophilic features. However, this tendency varies when the sample was divided by prospective employees’ who perceived higher or lower levels of well-being would be influenced by nature attributes.

Unlike previous studies, the authors tested a multiattribute design and results demonstrate the perceived restorative effect of nature attributes in an environment on prospective employees. In addition to extending the biophilic design in hospitality literature, the authors provide practical suggestions to urban hotels incorporating biophilic design and propose that specific elements have the propensity to enhance the well-being of prospective employees and reinforce positive emotions and intentions to work for urban hotels that incorporate them.

This study explores the difference in occupants' satisfaction with biophilic features in high-rises, townhouses, and villas in Dubai to identify new strategies that promote more human-nature connections. The study also serves as a benchmark for applying Biophilic Design in the Gulf region and bridging between biophilic theory and practice.

A mixed-mode approach was used, combining surveys from occupants and interviews with experts (3 policymakers, a developer, and a biophilic design educator). The survey collected occupants' satisfaction and acceptance of proposed strategies, and the interviews validated the potentially accepted solutions.

The results indicated high overall satisfaction with biophilic features despite neutral/low satisfaction with specific features. In high-rise buildings, respondents showed high acceptance for different proposed strategies; 76.4% for adaptive control of balconies by season, 82.7% for utilizing outdoor roof gardens, 78.9% for indoor gardens, and 71.8% for vertical farming. Additionally, respondents accepted social strategies; 63.6% agreed to join clubs promoting environmental events, and 75.4% accepted participating in outdoor recreational activities accompanied by local environmental education. The interviews showed an inclination toward incentive programs instead of obligations.

Unlike former studies that assessed indoor environmental qualities without referring to biophilic theory or limited reference to biophilic design, this study provides a novel approach for bridging theory and practice by integrating biophilic design into residential buildings for Dubai's future developments. Additionally, the authors suggest validated proposals to enhance the occupants' biophilic living experience, serving as a benchmark for biophilic application in the Gulf region.