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Offices Take Part in Study to Explore Benefits of Plants at Work
A new venture carried out by scientists and researchers at BRE Group hopes to get corporate companies on board to begin promoting the benefits of a greener and all round healthier workplace. BRE recently revealed on their website that a shocking 60% of staff working in a typical office environment lack sufficient access to daylight. As we have seen from previous studies, nature is something we strive to be around; it makes us calmer, more productive and less stressed. The company are currently looking for partners to join their biophilic workplace plans, expanding more on this in their mission statement here.
In previous studies, we've seen that absenteeism at work - which can be caused by Sick Building Syndrome - can cost the economy over £100 billion a year. However, according to Human Spaces, 'a 1% reduction in absenteeism would convert to a saving in lost days alone of £1 billion to the economy. In addition, a 15% increase in operational productivity enabled by the internal fit-out of your office adds further benefit'.
While there are a number of studies indicating the benefits of biophillic elements in the workplace, a credible and clear study that explains how best to implement nature into the office is yet to be produced. The BRE Office Project plans to change that by refurbishing 650 m2 of their Watford-based campus using varying scales of biophilic design. Other companies are joining the project with the common goal to produce qualitative and quantitative data that will offer a better understanding of the benefits of nature in the workplace.
