Green building design and energy-efficient technologies can significantly improve the comfort and aesthetics of work environments - including lighting, ventilation, temperature, and air quality. These improvements translate into fewer sick days, higher employee satisfaction and morale, increased productivity, and a better performance and public image for the employer.
According to a 2004 survey of the green building industry, greater occupant health and wellbeing and higher worker productivity ranked among the top three social benefits of green buildings that were cited by respondents.2
The US Green Building Council has reported that green office buildings can realize a 2-16% increase in productivity, and that a 1% productivity increase alone can yield savings larger than a facility's entire energy bill.2
Notes:
(2) Turner Construction 2004 Green Building Survey, cited in R. Davies (ed.) (2005), Green Value: Green Buildings, Growing Assets, Published by the Royal Institute of Surveyors, http://www.rics.org/greenvalue.
(2) US Green Building Council, Green Building 101 Presentation, and USGBC (2002), Building Momentum: National Trends and Prospects for High-Performance Green Buildings, http://www.usgbc.org/.
