laboratory sustainable business payette and · 15.915 – laboratory for sustainable business...

15.915–LaboratoryforSustainableBusinessPayetteandArup–Anozie,Bard,Loo,&Sullivan

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Laboratory for Sustainable Business Final Report: Payette and Arup

Team:ChidiAnozie,AllisonBard,DavidLoo,andKathleenSullivanMITFacultyAdvisor:ProfessorJohnStermanPayetteandArupProjectLeads:AndreaLoveandHilaryWilliams

Introduction

Payetteisa150‐personarchitectureanddesignfirmlocatedinBostonspecializinginbothhealthcareandlaboratoryfacilitiesandbuildings.PayetteprimarilycompletesprojectswithintheUnitedStates.Arup is amultinational engineering firmspecializing inengineering, sustainability,andstructuraldesign.PayetteandArup(P&A)arefocusingonresearchlaboratories(labs)forthisproject.

P&Ahavecollaboratedonlabprojectsthatincorporatesustainabilityinthepastandaimtodosogoingforward.P&Abelievelabsareidealopportunitiesforsustainability,asoftenlabsarethemost energy‐intensive buildings on campus. P&A have designed and constructed labs with thefollowing sustainability measures, including: energy efficiency (e.g., building envelope, HVAC),renewableenergy,health,safety,airquality,andwater.

Problem Statement

P&A have researched and quantified the paybacks and benefits associated with energyefficiency and environmental sustainability in buildings. As such, P&A are interested inunderstandingthepotentialimpactsthatsustainabilitymayhaveonoccupantwellness,communityresilience,andemployeeengagement,specificallyinthelabenvironment.

Our teamresearchedgreenbuildingbenefitspertaining to employeeproductivity, health,absenteeism,andmorale(intangibles).Throughoutthisproject,weworkedtoexpandthebusinesscaseforsustainablydesignedlabsbybringingforwardresearchaboutthebenefitsofgreendesignontheancillarybenefitssuchasproductivity,morale,andabsenteeism.

Obtaining reliable quantitative data that could characterize the business case for thesesofter attributeswas a challengewe experienced during this project. Very little research aboutancillarybenefitshasbeenconductedanditremainsaresearchopportunity.


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Methodology

Tocompletethisproject,ourteamcompletedthefollowingactivities:

1. DataCollectiona. MaterialsReview:ReviewedthematerialsprovidedbyP&Aandcreatedabaseline

foranalysisandprojectwork.b. LiteratureReview:Completedacomprehensivereviewofliteratureavailableonthe

topic,summarizedtheresults,andextractedbestpracticesandrecommendations.c. Surveys: Completed targeted surveys with 38 researchers who work in labs to

understandbehaviorsandconcerns.2. ProjectStakeholderInterviews:InterviewedP&Aemployeesfamiliarwithgreentechnology

andancillaryoccupantwellnessmeasures.ProjectStakeholderinterviewsincluded:a. AndreaLove‐AssociatePrincipal&Director,Payetteb. HilaryWilliams‐SeniorMechanicalEngineer,Arupc. RishiNandi‐Associate,ProjectManagerforNortheasternInterdisciplinaryScience

&EngineeringComplex(ISEC)d. MarkWalsh‐Cooke‐Principal,Arupe. ChrisMackey‐BuildingScientist,Payettef. CharlesKlee‐Principal,Payette(declinedtointerview)

3. Subject Matter Expert Interviews (SME): Interviewed SMEs who lent perspective aboutoccupantwellness in sustainable labs. The following peoplewere interviewed, or statedthattheywerenottheappropriatepeopletocommentonourproject:

a. JohnSterman‐Professor,MITSloan,Director,SystemDynamicsGroupb. LeonGlicksman‐ProfessorofBuildingTechnology&MechanicalEngineeringc. LesNorford‐ProfessorofEnvironmentalTechnologies,MITd. Chris Marshall, Ph.D., Scientific Associate, Ontario Cancer Institute, University

HealthNetworke. CatherineGamon,MITSloan,DirectorofStudentLifef. JohnFernandez‐Professor,MIT,Director,BuildingTechnologyGroup(declinedto

interview)g. Grey Lee, Executive Director, US Green Building Council, Massachusetts Chapter

(declinedtointerview)h. HarveyMichaels‐Lecturer,MIT,EnergyEfficiency(declinedtointerview)

Findings: Literature Review

Building characteristics that impact health and wellness are often the last designconsiderationsfornewprojects(Walsh‐Cooke,2016).However,thereareafewbuildingstandardsthatseektointegratehealthandwellnessmetricsearlyoninthebuildingdesignprocess.LEEDand


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theWELLBuildingStandard(WELL)arethemostwellknownstandardsthatplaceanemphasisonthesedesignprinciples(USGBC,2016&InternationalWELLBuildingInstitute,2016).

WELL Building Standard

TheInternationalWellBuildingInstitute(IWBI)firstreleasedtheWELLBuildingStandardinOctober2014(InternationalWELLBuildingInstitute,2016).Thestandarditselfwastheresultofseven years of collaboration between “leading medical scientists and building industrypractitioners” and aims to promote balance between the individual systems by reducing factorsthat may negatively impact human performance (International WELL Building Institute, 2013).According to the IWBI 90% of our time is spent within buildings (InternationalWELL BuildingInstitute, 2016). As such, incremental improvements in health and wellness can significantlyimproveproductivityandmorale.ThemethodologiesandsevendimensionsdepictedontheWELLscorecardarepresentedinFigure1.

Figure1:WELLScorecard(InternationalWELLBuildingInstitute,2016)

Onadailybasis,thesevendimensions—air,water,nourishment,light,fitness,comfort,andmind—affect one another and the different physical systems in the human body. The awardedWELLscoreisbasedontheinterplayofthesedimensions,whichtranslatesintometricsthatratethe impact the building may have on occupants. Table 1 outlines the WELL metrics, theirassociatedimpacts,andtheimplementationstrategiestoachievethedesiredresults.


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Table1:WELLBuildingStandardMetrics,Impact,andStrategies(InternationalWELLBuildingInstitute,2016)

Metric Impact Strategies

Air

Promotescleanairthroughreducingorminimizingthesourcesofindoorairpollution,requiringoptimalindoorairqualitytosupportthehealthwell‐beingofbuilding

Includeremovalofairbornecontaminants,preventionandpurification

Water

Promotessafeandcleanwaterthroughtheimplementationofproperfiltrationtechniquesandregulartestinginorderforbuildingoccupantstoreceiveoptimalqualityofwater

Removalofcontaminantsthroughfiltrationandtreatment,andstrategicplacement

NourishmentRequirestheavailabilityoffresh,wholesomefoods,limitsunhealthyingredientsandencouragesbettereatinghabitsandculture

Providingoccupantswithhealthierfoodchoices,behavioralcues,andknowledgeaboutnutrientquality

Light

Providesilluminationguidelinesthatareaimedtominimizedisruptiontothebody’scircadiansystem,enhanceproductivity,supportgoodsleepqualityandprovideappropriatevisualacuitywhereneeded

Requirementsforwindowperformanceanddesign,lightoutputandlightingcontrols,andtask‐appropriateilluminationlevels,toimproveenergy,mood,andproductivity

Fitness

Promotestheintegrationofphysicalactivityintoeverydaylifebyprovidingtheopportunitiesandsupportforanactivelifestyleanddiscouragingsedentarybehaviors.

Requirementsaredesignedtoprovidenumerousopportunitiesforactivityandexertion,enablingoccupantstoaccommodatefitnessregimens

ComfortEstablishesrequirementsdesignedtocreatedistraction‐free,productiveandcomfortableindoorenvironments

Designstandardsandrecommendations,thermalandacousticcontrollability,andpolicyimplementationcoveringacousticandthermalparametersthatareknownsourcesofdiscomfort

Mind

Requiresdesign,technologyandtreatmentstrategiesdesignedtoprovideaphysicalenvironmentthatoptimizescognitiveandemotionalhealth

Providingtheoccupantwithregularfeedbackandknowledgeabouttheirenvironmentthroughdesignelements,relaxationspaces,andtechnology

Findings: Literature Review

Energy Efficiency

The International Energy Agency (IEA) studied how proper insulation, lighting, andrefrigeration systemsdirectly impact thehealthof childrenandadults.The research isprimarilyfocusedonissuesinthehomeenvironmentincludingsubparinsulation,dampness,andmoldthatmay lead to increased sick days. The research may also be relevant for absenteeism in labs.According to the study, “When quantified health and well‐being impacts are included inassessmentsofenergyefficiencyretrofitprogrammes,thebenefit‐costratiocanbeashighas4:1,with health benefits representing up to 75% of overall benefits” (International Energy Agency,2014).Figure2depictsenergyefficiencymeasuresand their resultingdirectand indirecthealthoutcomes.


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Figure2:DirectandIndirectImpactsofImprovedEnergyEfficiencyonHealthandWell‐Being(InternationalEnergyAgency,2014)


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Air Quality

Health

Exposuretovolatileorganiccompounds(VOC)canleadtosensoryirritationsymptomsintheabsenceofproperlyventilatedsystems(Mudarri,2010).Althoughresearchisstillinitsinfancy,initial analysis indicates that heavy concentrations of VOCs can lead to asthma‐like respiratorysymptoms and other adverse conditions including headaches often described as Sick BuildingSyndrome(SBS)(Mudarri,2010).“SBSconsistsofagroupofmucosal,skin,andgeneralsymptomsthat are temporally related to working in particular buildings. It is the workers who aresymptomatic,butthebuildingoritsserviceswhicharethecause”(Burge,2004).

Symptomsduetopoorairqualityareoftenassociatedwithdeclinesinvariousmeasuresofhumanperformanceandproductivity.TheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency (EPA)believes that,“while productivity effects may be a direct result of changes in these indoor environmentalconditions,itisalsolikelythatsomeformofdegradationofhealthorcomfortactsasaninterveningfactoraffectingproductivity” (Mudarri,2010). It is important tonote thedifferentiationbetweenSBSand“buildingrelateddisease,”whichentailsvirusesthatemployeespasstooneanotherduetothenatureoftheirwork(Burge,2004).SBSdoesnotincludebuildingrelateddisease.

Proper ventilation and air conditioning appear to be the primary drivers of air quality.Studiesonventilationsystemsandtheirsubsequentimpactonperformanceshowthatventilationrates below 10 liters/second (20 cubic feet perminute) per person lead to impaired health anddeclines in air quality (Seppanen, Fisk,& Lei, 2006). Specifically, regression analysis onmultiplestudiesdetermined that there exists, “consistent improvement inperformance in tasks typical ofofficeworkwhenventilationratesincrease”(Seppanen,Fisk&Lei,2006).Additionally,aresearcheffort on the organization, Polaroid, found that inadequate ventilation is responsible for 35% ofshort‐termsickleave,or1.2‐1.9daysperpersondependentupongenderandage.Thestudyalsoconcluded that Polaroid could recognize net savings (after subtracting the costs of increasedventilation)of$400peremployeeperyearmerelybyincreasingventilation(Milton,Glencross,&Walters,2000).

The EPA expects that SBS and other illnesses associated with poor air quality costemployers between $82 billion and $104 billion annually (Mudarri, 2010). The figure is largelydrivenbythereductioninproductivityassociatedwithSBS.Thereisconcernthatinthefuturethisdollarcostmayincreaseasthevolatilityofourglobalenvironmentincreases.

Improving ventilation could also lead to significant improvements in productivity andcognitive function (Allen, et al. 2015).Researchers in the study sought tomeasure the impact ofgreen buildings on the cognitive function of office employees by placing 24 participants in


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environmentallycontrolledofficespacesforsixfullworkdays.Overthesesixdaystheparticipantsweresubjecttovariousindoorenvironmentalconditions(highVOC,lowVOC)representativeoftheaverage office environment. To simulate extreme green environments, researchers increased theoutdoor air ventilation ratewhile adjusting for carbon dioxide. Participantswere subjected to adailyStrategicManagementSimulationdesignedtotesttheirdecision‐makingprocesses.Eachtestwas 1.5 hours, with participants exposed to real‐world equivalent challenges. These challengesentailed tasks such as serving as mayor for a township or as an emergency coordinator. Thesimulationallowed theparticipants to strategizeandact in theirownrespectivecognitivestyles.ParticipantswerethengradedaccordingtotheninecognitivedomainslistedinTable2(Allen,etal.,2015).

Table2:CognitiveDomains(Allen,etal.,2015)

Cognitivefunctionscoreswere61%higherforparticipantsinthewell‐ventilatedbuildings(lowVOCenvironments)relativetotheconventionalbuildingconditions(highVOCenvironments).Additionally, participants in the extreme green building condition scored over two times better,with scores 101% higher relative to the conventional building. The researchers discovered“statistically significant declines in cognitive function scores when CO2 concentrations wereincreased to levels that are common in indoor spaces (approximately 950 ppm)” (Allen, et al.,2015).


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Productivity

A separate series of studies for the American Journal of Public Health measures IndoorEnvironmentalQuality(IEQ)andthepotentialeffectsthatsustainabledesignelementsmayhaveonhealth and productivity (Singh, Sayal, Grady, & Korkmaz, 2010). Researchers contrasted IEQbetweengreen(LEED‐certified)buildingsandtraditionalbuildings.Whilehardtoquantify,studiessuggestthatLEED‐certifiedbuildingsimproveIEQ.Therearenumerousqualitativestudies,butfewquantitativestudiespertainingtoIEQ1(Singh,Sayal,Grady,&Korkmaz,2010).

The following criteria can exacerbate respiratory issues, like asthma, pertaining to IEQ:poorairquality,insufficientventilation,excesshumidity,andextremetemperatures.Furthermore,failuresinergonomics,acoustics,andlightingdesign,cansignificantlycontributetoabsenteeismintheworkplace,resultinginlessproductivityrelativetothatofpeerswhodonotfacetheseissues(Singh, Sayal, Grady, & Korkmaz, 2010). Figure 3 depicts the interrelationships betweencomponentsassociatedwithIEQ.

Figure3:LEEDandIEQStructure(Singh,Sayal,Grady,&Korkmaz,2010)

1Thestudiesreferencedhereusedself‐reportedsurveysastheprimarymeansofdatacollection


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Absenteeism increased amongst employees when the IEQ attributes were below LEEDcriteria,therebyleadingtoadverseeffectsonhealthandproductivity.ThereversewastruewhenIEQ attributeswere alignedwith LEED criteria, as perceived by the employees.Table3 depictscorrelationofIEQandproductivity.

Furthermore,acasestudyconductedatPlantronicssupportsgreenbuildingdesign’sabilitytoreduceabsenteeismfrom12.7%to3.5%(WorldGreenBuildingCouncil,2014).TherightmostcolumninTable3outlinesthetotalbenefitsperyearfromareductioninabsenteeism,asspecifiedbytheminimumaveragegains,foranumberofoutcomes.

Table3:Well‐BeingandProductivityBenefitsAmongEmployeesWhoMovedfromConventionaltoGreenOfficeBuildings(Singh,Syal,Grady,&Korkmaz,2010)

Outcome MeanDifference

P MinimumAverageGains

TotalBenefitsperYear

Absenteeismattributabletoasthmaandrespiratoryallergies,d(n=25)

0.034 0.047 Reducedby0.034h/moforeachoccupantreportingasthmaorallergies

Additional0.41workhours/occupant

Workhoursaffectedbyasthmaandrespiratoryallergies(n=27)

2.35 0.02 Reducedby2.35h/moforeachoccupantreportingasthmaorallergies

Additional1.34workhours/occupantreportingasthmaorallergies

Workhoursaffectedbydepressionandstress(n=34)

2.86 0.02 Reducedby2.86h/moforeachoccupantreportingdepressionorstress

Additional2.02workhours/occupantreportingdepressionorstress

DirecteffectofIEQonproductivity,hours(n=86)

2.59 <0.001 Productivityimprovedby2.6%foralloccupants

Additional38.98workhours/occupant

Thirty‐nine hours of additional hours ofwork—a productivity improvement of 2.6% peroccupant—isdirectlyattributedtoimprovingIEQintheworkplace.Thesestatisticssupportgreenbuildings’ effects onhealth andproductivity.On average, the benefits are 44 additional hours ofproductivityper employeeper year (Singh, Syal,Grady,&Korkmaz,2010),which translates intorealcostsavings.


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Natural Daylight Exposure

Exposure to natural daylight over an extended period of time can improve humanperformance. There is ample anecdotal evidence to support this fact and a 1999 study by theHeschongMahoneGroup(HMG)demonstratedthatnaturallightimprovedstudents’testscoresbyanaverageof7%to18%.Inthisstudy,expertslookedatover21,000studentsfromthreedistrictswithinCalifornia,Washington,andColorado(HeschongMahoneGroup,1999).

HMGanalyzedeachclassroomandassignedroomsavalueofzerothroughfivebaseduponthesizeandtintofwindowsandother factors includingtheoverallamountofexpecteddaylight.Focusingon themostdiverseschooldistrict, asdeterminedbydaylightingconditions,HMGusedmultivariate linear regression analysis to predict student performance from historical districteducationaldata.

The study results revealed that, “students with themost daylighting in their classroomsprogressed20%fasteronmathtestsand26%onreadingtestsinoneyearthanthosewiththeleast…studentsinclassroomswiththelargestwindowareaswerefoundtoprogress15%fasterinmathand23%fasterinreadingthanthosewiththeleast”(HeschongMahoneGroup,1999).2

WGBC studies regarding health, well‐being and office productivity reference similarmetrics, including IEQ and ventilation, thermal comfort, daylighting and lighting, noise andacoustics, interior layout and active design, views and biophilia, look and feel, and location andaccesstoamenities(WorldGreenBuildingCouncil,2014).Thesemetricsarealignedwithstudiesalready referenced herein, thus painting a more comprehensive picture regarding what isimportant, from the perspective of building designers and occupants, to promote betterproductivityintheworkplace.

Thermal Comfort

Thermal comfort is a critical part of building maintenance and design simultaneouslyeffectingbuildingoccupants.Figure4depicts therelationshipbetweentheexternal temperatureand the amount of clothing that people wear indoors. The cooler the temperature outside, thelargerthespreadof“clothing+chair(clo)”valuesofoccupants(Morgan&deDear,2003).

2Itisimportanttonotethattherearemanyfactorsthatmayimpactstudentperformance,includingcurriculaandteachingstyles.


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Figure4:ThermalInsulationWornInsideBuildingsComparedtoExternalTemperature(Morgan&deDear,2003)

“Energy consumption of residential buildings and offices adds up to about 30% of totalcarbondioxideemissions;andoccupantbehaviourcontributes to80%of thevariation inenergyconsumption.Indoorclimateregulationsarebasedonanempiricalthermalcomfortmodelthatwasdeveloped in the 1960s. Standard values for one of its primary variables—metabolic rate—arebasedonanaveragemale,andmayoverestimatefemalemetabolicratebyupto35%”(Kingma&vanMarkenLichtenbelt,2015).Thermalcomfortisanongoingbehavioralmetricthatcaninfluencebothenergysavingsandtheintangibles.

Financial Impacts

TheWGBC studies are thebasis of a frameworkdeveloped tohelpmultiple stakeholders(e.g.,buildingowners,occupants,andadvisors)integratedataregardingbuildingdesignimpactsonemployeehealth,well‐beingandproductivityintofinancialdecision‐making(WorldGreenBuildingCouncil, 2014). This framework alleviates ambiguity in metrics that measure health and socialbenefitsofgreenbuildings,anditsimpactonimprovingfinancialperformance.Asignificantpartoftheframeworkrestsontherelationshipbetweenthreekeyelements:physicalfeaturesoftheworkspace,workerattitudesorperceptions,andfinancialoutcomes,asdepictedinFigure5.


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Figure5:InterdependenciesofThreeKeyElementsfortheHealth,Wellbeing&ProductivityFramework(WorldGreenBuildingCouncil,2014)

Pertinent factors that feed into the framework include: control of the environment bybuilding occupants (e.g. adjustable thermostats, reconfigurable spaces, natural light glares),complementary strategies to maximize occupant benefits and reduce energy/resource use,consistency inmeasuringmetrics for relevant data, advancements in technology, and a growingimplicationalawarenessofgreendesignonhealthandwellbeing(WorldGreenBusinessCouncil,2014). Also, the framework suggests that “measurable” productivity factors directly affectingorganizational or financial outcomes include: absenteeism, staff turnover/retention, revenue,medical costs, medical complaints, physical complaints, and task efficiency and deadlines met(WorldGreenBusinessCouncil,2014).IntheUnitedStates,annualratesofabsenteeismcomeatanaverage cost to employers, ranging between $2,074 and $2,502 per employee (World GreenBuildingCouncil,2014).

It is important to note that, while productivity can ultimately be influenced by greenerdesigns,therearevaryingcostdeltasassociatedwithpossiblesolutions.Forexample,retrofittingexisting occupied spaces to improve daylighting is costly, while incorporating active designprinciplesinnewbuildingshasalowercost.Gooddesign,construction,behavior,andlocationarethe main drivers to developing green buildings that create easier pathways to better health,economicgains,andproductivity(WorldGreenBusinessCouncil,2014).


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Findings ‐ Stakeholder and Subject Matter Expert Interviews

Our team completed a site visit with Payette staff member Rishi Nandi to NortheasternUniversity’s ISEC, which has finalized building designs but remains under construction.Northeastern has stringent expectations regarding the energy usage at the site. To complywithenergy usage expectations, the building includes a highly efficient HVAC system utilizing chilledbeams (as seen in Figure6). Although individuals cannot control the exact temperature withintheirworkspace,thetechnologyensuresanarrowrangeoftemperaturesthroughoutthebuilding(Nandi2016).SomeofthecentrallylocatedworkstationsattheISECdonothaveaccesstonaturallightbecauseoftheconfigurationandorientationoftheindividuallabswithinthebuilding.

Figure6:ChilledbeamsatISECsitevisit,NortheasternUniversity3

Similartowhatwasdiscoveredintheliteraturereview,MITacademicsandSME’sbelievethat the intangiblebenefitsofgreen labsaremuch lessquantifiable thanmetrics fromanenergyefficiencyretrofit’sreturnoninvestment.Regardless,healthandwellnessaregenerallyregardedtobeasimportantasthetangibles(Glicksman,2016;Norford,2016).

Employee Morale

ProfessorLesNorfordstatedthatatMIT,architecturestudentsaretaughttopayattentionto energy and carbonbudgets, spending the time todiscuss themduringdesignphase (Norford,2016).AccordingtoNorford,energyconservationcancoexistwithemployeemorale.Thiscanbeaccomplished by doing things such as creating open air areas or building sky gardens.Figure7depicts one such food garden at the YWCA in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada that is both

3PhotographtakenbyChidiAnozie,2016


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therapeutic and productive as it yields more than 600 kilograms of produce each year (YWCAMetroVancouver,2016).

Figure7:YWCARooftopFoodGardeninVancouver,BritishColumbia,Canada(Levenston,n.d.)

Yang,Yu,&GongfocusedontheancillarybenefitsofreducingpollutantsintheenvironmentatresearchlabsinChicago.“Onewaytoreachthatgoal[ofremovingexistingairpollutants]istheuse of urban vegetation which can reduce air pollutants through a dry deposition process andmicroclimate effects. The high surface area and roughness provided by the branches, twigs, andfoliagemakevegetationaneffectivesinkforairpollutants”(Yang,Yu,&Gong,2008).

Natural Light

Catherine Gamon, Director of Student Life at the MIT Sloan School of Management,highlighted natural lighting challenges in MIT Sloan’s Technology Services (STS) workspace(Gamon,2016).STSislocatedinthebasementofbuildingE52.Despitethefull‐sizedwindows,partof STS remains obscured as the work space is partially below ground. When the building wasrenovated,thedepartmentspecificallyrequestedthattheofficesandcubiclesbere‐arranged. Tomaximizedaylightaccess,cubiclestaffwereplacedalongtheperimeterandofficesweresituated,withglasspanessurroundingdoorways,inthecentralportionofthespace,asseenintheFigure8below.The“atypical”configurationmaximizedthelightingaccesstoallemployees.Ontheleftaretheofficesandconferencespaces,andontheright,naturallightedcubicles.


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Figure8:STSWorkspaceImage4

Air Quality

Fume hoods consume a substantial amount of energy in labs but are required to ensureappropriateandsafeventilation.TheScientificEquipmentFurnitureAssociation(SEFA)generallyrequiresabuilding’stotalvolumechangesofairtobefourtotwelvetimesperhour,unlessspecificconfigurationsrequireadditionalairchanges(TSIIncorporated,2013).Althoughspecificguidelinesexist,institutionsoftenexceedthevaluesasaninternallycreatedsafetyprecaution.MITProfessorLeon Glicksman stated that often labs over‐utilize air by approximately 20% (Glicksman, 2016).DuringtheNortheasternUniversityISECsitevisit,Nandiexplainedthatsixairchangesperhourarerequiredbycode,buttheadministrationwaspushingfortenairchangesperhourbecauseitwouldprovidegreaterpeaceofmindforlaboccupants(Nandi,2016).

MultipleSMEsmentionedthatchangesinlawandpolicycouldbeveryhelpful.Forexample,Cambridgeismovingtowardsbecominganetzerocity.Assuch,compliancewithlegislationisnowbecoming the driving factor for sustainable initiatives rather than cost (Nandi, 2016 & Walsh‐Cooke,2016).

4PhotographtakenbyKateSullivan,2016


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Findings: Lab Survey

OurteamconductedasurveyofgraduateandPhDstudents,postdoctoralstudents,andlabmanagerswhoworkinorutilizelabsregularly.Thissurvey,administeredthroughGoogleForms,soughttounderstandbehaviorpreferences,currentlabconditions,anddesiredlabconditionsforrespondents inbuildingswith labs.Wereviewed38responsesobtained from20disciplines.ThevarietyofdisciplinesishighlightedinTable4.Respondentsrepresent13statesandtwocountries,resultinginarobustdataset.Respondents’experienceinlabsrangedfromlessthanoneyearto24yearswithanaverageof7.5years.

Table4:SurveyRespondentLabExperience

Biochemistry BiomedicalEngineering

ChemicalEngineering Chemistry

Earth&Environmental

Sciences

Ecology ElectricalEngineering

EvolutionaryBiology&Ornithology

Geochemistry Geology

Kinesiology Microbiology ModelingBatteriesMultiphase

ComputationalFluidDynamics

Neurology

Neuroscience OrganicChemistry Paleontology Physics PlasmaPhysics

The following graphs represent respondents’ answers to the boldedquestions above them. It isinterestingtonotethatlabresearchersdidnotlinkenjoymentwithproductivity.


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Keyinsightsinclude:

● Twenty‐fiverespondentsstatedthattherearenolightingrestrictionsintheirlabs,butonly18havenaturallightingavailable.

● Thirty‐fourrespondentsansweredyeswhenaskedifnaturallightingwaspreferred.Someenthusiasticquotessubmittedinclude:

○ “Justbeingabletolookoutsidemakesyoufeelbetter.”○ “It’seasierontheeyes.”○ “Itsometimes feels likeyouare trapped[withoutnatural light]and it’sdifficult to

noticethepassageoftime.”○ “[I]Wouldprefernaturalshadows,couldstayinlablongerwithoutlosingmind.”○ “Betterforme,mysoul,mystudents,andthebills!”○ Itmakesforamuchhappierworkenvironment○ “Hugewindows…makelifesogood.Plus,wesometimeswriteequationsonthemto

feelsmartwhenweexperiment.”● Whenaskediflabspromotehealthylifestylesresponsesvaried.Highlightsinclude:

○ “Healthychoicesandlifestylesareofferedbytheinstitution.”○ “Idon’tspendalotoftimesitting”○ “It’sanenclosedbasementspace(i.e.alittledepressing).”○ “AllofthelabmatesutilizeFitbitsandhavefriendlycompetition.”○ “Standingdesks.”


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Conclusions and Recommendations

Based on our research, our team concludes that the benefits to green labs are similar tothoseseen inothersettings includinghomes,offices,andschools.Forexample, labenvironmentsincludespaceswhereacademicswork,whicharequitesimilartoofficeenvironments.Additionally,we are confident that proper daylighting, thermal comfort, and fresh air can increase employeeproductivityandmoraleandwerecommendadditionalresearchbeconductedtofurtherestablishthebenefitsoftheseintangibles.

Access tonatural lighting:We recommendworkspace configurations includenatural lightwhereverpossible,andutilizepass‐throughlight,suchastheAtriumatNortheasternUniversity’sISEC, if necessary. “German law requires each person be nomore than 23 feet from awindow;windowsmustbeoperable,andthere isastrongcommitmenttonatural lightingandventilation.These buildings are healthier, and a well‐built structure in Germany uses less than 10 kWh ofenergypersquarefoot”(Vermeulen,2012).

Taking the lead from theMIT STS,whenever possible, open seating office space, such asopendesksorcubicles,shouldframetheexteriorofabuildingallowingnaturallighttopermeatetointerior spaces. Common spaces utilizedwith less frequency ormore susceptible to light issues,suchaslabsorconferencerooms,shouldbethespacesplacedmostinboardofabuilding,reservingthenaturallightingforemployeehealth.

Thermal comfort:Behavioral evidence indicates that people change set points because ofthermal comfort complaints. Practically, thermal comfort can be obtained in “less” comfortabletemperatures by layering clothes. Currently, Payettemeasures thermal comfort utilizingmodelsthatincludetheDaylightGlareProbability,DaylightAutonomy,andThermalComfortPercentage.

Peoplearephysicallyandmentallyaffectedbythetemperatureoftheirworkspace.Startingto address employee behavior by ensuring that employees dress accordingly can enhance well‐being and productivity whilemaintaining energy savings. Employees could also be givenmorecontrolof the temperaturesettingsor toprovide feedbackabouthowthey“feel” in theirareabyusingtechnologylikeCrowdComfort,alocalCambridgestartup(CrowdComfort,n.d.).Additionally,it is important to educate building maintenance and facilities staff about thermal comfort andrangesofacceptabletemperatures.

To research further, P&A could introduce a system to measure satisfaction with a builtenvironment. Clear success metrics can help labs could determine whether they are designedcorrectly and have the appropriate feedback loop in place. P&A currently have models to mapthermalcomfortanddaylightautonomy.However,P&Aarethefirsttoadmitthatthemodelsarenowherenearasvaluableastheinformationprovidedbythebuildingoccupants.Itisnotrealistic


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forP&A tohypothesizeeverypotential environmental conditionprior to thedesignandbuildingphaseofprojects(Love,Williams,&Mackey,2016).

Freshair: Open areas and green spaces are very important for employeemorale. Studiesdemonstratethatfreshairanddaylighthaveasignificantimpactonproductivity.Employeesmustbeaffordedtheopportunitytotakebreaksduringthedayand lunchperiods, toget freshairandlightexposure,andtorechargeandreinvigorate.

Furthersurveysshouldconsiderthe factorsthataremost importanttothoseutilizing labbuildings. It appears that better air and lighting results inmore productive employeeswith lessabsenteeism.

Financial impacts: Finally, the financial costs (including salaries and benefits) associatedwith staffing an organization account for roughly 90% of business operating costs, making acompellingcaseformaintaininghighproductivitylevelsforemployeesandotheroccupants(WorldGreen Building Council, 2014). Reducing absenteeism and sick days has a direct effect on thefinancial stability of an organization. The European Concerted Action developed a Sick BuildingSyndromePracticalGuidein1989citingthat“AninvestigationcarriedoutbyWoodsetal.on600officeworkers in the USA showed that 20% of the employees experience symptoms of SBS andmostofthemwereconvincedthatthisreducestheirworkingefficiency.Otherestimatesreportthatup to 30% of new and refurbished buildings throughout the world may be affected by thissyndrome”(Molina,Pickering,Valbjorn,&deBortoli,1989).Onaverage, thebenefitsof reducingabsenteeism and sick days equates to 44 additional hours per employee per year (Singh, Sayal,Grady,&Korkmaz,2010).

Ultimately, tying all these pieces togetherwhen designing a building is essential. Furtherresearch is needed to quantify benefits from the aforementioned recommendations. P&A couldleveragetheexistingresearchstudiestoconvinceauniversity,orlargebiomedicalpharmaceuticalcompany topartner and study this issue further. Dependingon thepartnership,P&A could findcomparablelabstocompareagainsteachother,withonelabservingasabasecaseandtheotherlabfullymeasuringtheimpactsofpotentialgreenbuildingupgrades.Also,theBoston/Cambridgeareaisfilledwithresearchersworkinginlabssothelocationisripeforresearch.

Also,theregulatoryenvironmentofthephysicallocationsoflabsinconsiderationwillbeaninfluential piece of green building design and acceptance. Quantification of these impacts is achallenge,butitwillbeessentialtointroducetheintangiblesintoreturnoninvestmentcalculationsforsustainabledesignstrategies.


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Appendix

Full Lab Utilization Survey Questions

1. Inwhatareaofstudyisyourresearch?2. Whereisyourlablocated?(City/State,ifoutsideUS,countrytoo)3. Ifyouwerechoosingbetweenlabs,didthephysicalaspectsofthelab(non‐

research‐equipmentaspects)influenceyourdecision?4. Howmanyyearshaveyouworkedinresearchlabs?5. Howwouldyoudescribeyourlab?6. Doesyourlabhavenaturallighting/windows?7. Aretherelightingrestrictionsduetotheresearchinyourlab?Ifso,whatarethey?8. Iftherearenolightingrestrictionsinyourlab,giventheoption,wouldyouprefer

naturallightinyourlab?Whyorwhynot?9. Doyounoticefreshorventilatedair(fromanACorheatingsystem)cominginto

yourlab?10. Areyouconcernedabouttheairqualityinyourlab?11. Doyouthinkcertainphysicalfeaturesofyourlaborworkspacewouldincrease

yourproductivity?Ifso,whatarethosefeatures?12. Doyoufeelyouwouldenjoyyourlabspacemoreifyourlabhadsustainabledesign

attributes(e.g.,ethically‐sourcedwood,energy‐efficientlighting)?13. Doyoufeelyouwouldbemoreproductiveifyourlabhadsustainabledesign

attributes(e.g.,ethically‐sourcedwood,energy‐efficientlighting)?14. Areyouaffordedtheopportunitytospendtimeoutsideduringtheworkday‐‐

takingabreakforair,eatinglunchoutsidethebuilding,etc?15. Doesyourlabpromoteahealthylifestyle?Ifyes,how?Ifno,hownot?16. WouldyoubeinterestedinprovidingmoreinformationdirectlytoS‐Labteam?(If

yes,pleaseprovideyournameandemailaddress)


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Additional Survey Responses

Figure1.LocationofLabs(sizeofwordindicatespopularityofanswer)

Figure2.Howmanyyearshaveyouworkedinresearchlabs?


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Figure3.Whenwasyourlabbuilt?

Figure4.Doesyourlabhavenoticeableventilation?

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