Companies are starting to recognize the importance of designing office buildings in ways that make their employees happy.
The theory is that healthier and happier workers are more productive, and one good way to ensure happiness is to place people in an impressive environment.
A manual for constructing “happy buildings” called The Well Building Standard has been produced by a New York startup called Delos Living.
The manual provides builders with a set of guidelines for creating buildings that make people happier just by being inside of them. The manual has been approved by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED) of the United States Green Building Council.
Studies have shown that office workers in “happy” environments tend to work harder, sleep better and take fewer sick days. About 4.6 billion square feet of global real estate has achieved LEED certification since 2000.
Delos Living has been working for five years to help develop buildings to improve the happiness of people who are stuck working indoors. The company has achieved this by creating The Well Building Standard, which they believe will convince builders to think more carefully when designing a building.
Some wellness upgrades include installing amenities such as cork floors to improve posture and a filtration system that infuses the air with aromatherapy. The company has also partnered with Leonardo DiCaprio to create an eco-resort off of Belize’s coast. The resort will feature dawn simulator alarm clocks and showers with water that contains vitamin C.
For now, the company is working to persuade architects, builders and corporations that constructing buildings that promote healthier lifestyles and happiness is an important undertaking and worth the extra investment.
With healthy living and environmental sustainability being two hot button issues for many people in today’s day and age, it really isn’t much of a surprise that people are working to ensure that newly constructed buildings support these principles.
Indeed, research has been conducted on subjects such as the health benefits of stairways and the relationship between office noise and mental health. Studies show that wellness should most definitely be considered in building design.
Delos Living has looked at a number of different principles. Some of the construction methods that they have recommended to corporations include cork floors to improve posture and air filtration systems that infuse the air with aromatherapy.
While Delos Living does not plan to develop any of its own buildings, the company is working to get developers to adopt the principles outlined in The Well Building Standard. The company profits whenever a building goes through its certification process.
Currently, builders are trying to obtain the Delos Living stamp of approval for more than 20 million square feet of real estate.
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