In the past, builders and architects have focused on the green aspects of construction for offices. Now, there has been a shift to ensure people working in those buildings are green and healthy themselves. Studies out of Harvard and other sources show healthy workers tend to be more productive. New programs, including the Well Building Standard developed by real estate and technology firm Delos, have sprung up to help guide the way on how our surroundings affect our health. CNBC’s Jane Margolies has more details.
Delos’s new headquarters, on the fourth and fifth floors of a 10-story tower in Manhattan, were designed by the architecture firm Gensler. The 19,000-square-foot office space houses 70 employees and serves as a showplace for the Well standard.
In the reception area, where a tour of the office was about to begin on a recent afternoon, the air quality was good. There was proof: A digital display measuring about 6½ feet by 12 feet covering one wall showed the indoor temperature, the humidity level, and other measurements of cleanliness and comfort with data supplied by sensors throughout the office.
Triple-filtered air whooshes in from floor vents, while ceiling ducts suck out carbon dioxide-filled air. Plants cascading from walls and partitions also help clean the air while satisfying our innate need to connect to nature, a concept known as biophilia.
Standing desks are everywhere, and a wide oak staircase stretches between the lower and upper floors, encouraging staff to walk up and down rather than take the elevator — all contributing to fitness.
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