Green Office Benefits Psychosocial Health of Employees
Could your physical work space impact your overall health and well-being? As it turns out, sustainable buildings have the potential to not only benefit the ecosystem around us through a respectful, symbiotic relationship--but also increase the psychosocial value of the work environment. A growing body of research shows that a building’s connection to nature supports emotional well-being and cognitive performance. By bringing this green building movement into healthcare, we can promote health for both people and the environment.
Biologist Stephen Boyden defines the optimum healthy environment as "the conditions which tend to promote or permit an optimal physiological, mental, and social performance in its natural or 'evolutionary' environment.” According to the Whole Building Design Guide, this theory raises two main concerns: (1) there is a mismatch between humans' evolutionary environment and current industrialized settings, and (2) this mismatch is detrimental to human well-being because current environments do not support the full range of evolved survival and well-being needs.
In this context, Boyden uses the term “survival needs” to describe the aspects of the environment that directly affect human health, such as clean air and water, lack of pathogens or toxins, and opportunity for rest and sleep. “Well-being needs”, on the other hand, are associated with fulfillment, quality of life, and psychological health. The ability of the body to be impacted by the environment suggests a human-ecosystem connection beyond simply the place in which we live.
The connection between nature and the self can be understood through the intuitive guide humans possess to determine habitat quality—our emotions. The Whole Building Design Guide explains how positive emotional states of interest and pleasure signals that an environment is likely to provide resources and supports that promote survival and well-being, while negative affective states serve as warnings of potential harm or discomforts.
Studies of outdoor landscapes are providing evidence that the effects of nature on human health and well-being extend beyond cognitive and emotional functioning to social behavior. The move to a sustainable, “green” clinic promotes the capacity to encourage positive moods, enhance a more positive outlook on life and lower overall stress levels. In addition to boosting morale, clinicians will find themselves more satisfied with their jobs, increasing their ability to concentrate. The movement to a healthy environment also increases community sociability, allowing health care to be a positive, empowering movement for the greater community.
To learn more about the Psychosocial Value of Space visit:
Whole Building Design Guide at http://www.wbdg.org
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