A new report issued by the US Green Building Council and Dodge Data & Analytics finds growing understanding and acceptance by building owners that buildings built or redesigned to improve the health of the occupants drives major business benefits.

“The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings 2016” (https://analyticsstore.construction.com/smartmarket-reports/HealthierBuildings16SMR.html) finds that the design and construction industry in the US is moving toward wider adoption of building practices that prioritize the physical and mental well-being of tenants and occupants. The report found that 75% of US building owners surveyed want to invest in healthier buildings as a way to improve employee or tenant satisfaction.
Constructing healthier buildings for occupants was of interest to about two-thirds of US building owners, although, not surprisingly, this paled in comparison to the percentage of owners who were interested in cost savings (85%).

Asked what design options would result in a healthier building, the only option that a majority of US building owners recognized as effective is improved ventilation. A majority of building owners were not aware that the following are also effective options:

• proper site selection,

• improved daylighting,

• layout that encourages physical activity,

• usage of healthier product usage (such as cleaning solutions), and

• improved thermal and acoustical comfort.

This is at odds with the design community, who are aware of the effectiveness of these features. This indicates that more education of the real estate community is important.

Building owners, according to the survey, do recognize that such buildings will lead to improved employee satisfaction (79%), will result in the owners’ ability to increase leasing rates (73%), and achieve higher asset values (62%). However, about half of all building owners are unaware of whether any benefits to improve health have been achieved. Those that perform actions (measure light levels or air quality or perform employee/occupant surveys) are overwhelmingly satisfied that the upgrades have been successful in making tenants healthier, more satisfied, and more productive.

CCES has the experts to perform technical evaluations of how to upgrade your buildings to be healthier and to gain all the benefits that come with it (more desirable, greater asset value, etc). Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or 914-584-6720.