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Poor lighting is a major source of disastisfaction in
UK offices, according to a study of more than 12,000
workers in 17 countries commissioned by Steelcase.
The Ipsos survey found that workers in the UK are
least satisfied with their working environment, with 45%
complaining about the temperature in offices and 32%
expressing unhappiness with the light intensity.
Overall, one third of office workers say they don’t like
their working environment.
Significantly, fewer than four out of 10 UK respondents
(39%) are able to adjust their office temperature and only
one in five (21%) can modify ther lighting.
The situation in the UK reflects the popularity of open
plan offices, which have cost-saving benefits but can
limit people’s ability to control their environment. Almost
half (49%) of UK workers are based in open plan offices.
Steelcase warns that a lack of control over the
physical environment can seriously affect workers’
concentration, productivity and engagement levels,
pointing out that the most highly engaged employees
are those with the greatest flexibility over how and
where they work.
Christine Congdon, Steelcase’s Director of Global
Research Communication, said: “Everybody is different
and personal preference will depend on an individual’s
natural physiology, their mood on a particular day and
the task they are working on. To cater to these constantly
changing needs, employers should pay more attention to
providing a range of working environments, including the
ability to adjust workspace basics as required.”
this,WELL Certified spaces can generate
a meaningful return on investment to
the tenant and building owner.
BI:
How does it differ to other
certification schemes such as LEED or
BREEAM?
NS:
When we look at LEED, BREEAM,
Global Sustainability Assessment System
(GSAS) and the other green rating
systems out there and compare them
to theWELL, there is some overlap.
Green building begins the conversation
about people, but primarily focuses
on environmental impact.WELL really
advances it;WELL involves entirely new
protocols in and around human health,
with very limited overlap between LEED
andWELL measures. LEED andWELL
are therefore very complementary to
address both environmental and human
health.
BI:
How does light impact the health
of building occupants?
NS:
Light serves three primary functions
for the human body. Most importantly,
and obviously, we need light to see.
Lamps providing light with poor
colour quality can make it difficult to
differentiate shades and colours. Proper
designs must also distribute the light
correctly to avoid causing glare.
Light is also the primary driver
aligning our body’s biological clock, our
circadian rhythm, with the sun’s 24-hour
day. During the day, brighter white lights
can inform our body that it is daytime,
while at night, warm lamps with a lower
blue component can provide illumination
for visual purposes while minimising
Low control, low morale
disruption to our circadian rhythm.
Finally, light has direct effects on
parts of our brain and can act as an
acute stimulant, making people more
alert and able to perform better on some
cognitive tests.
BI:
In what ways can lighting be used
to improve employee wellbeing,
comfort and productivity?
NS:
The explosion of tunable LED
lighting systems in the last five years
has made it easier than ever to create
custom lighting schedules that provide
appropriate levels and colours of light
at different points in our circadian
cycle. This allows us to maximise
lighting’s effects as a stimulant when it
is appropriate for employees to focus
during the day, while also taking into
account our body’s internal clock.
BI:
Can you give examples of
buildings in which light was a crucial
consideration in the design or was
used in a unique way?
NS:
Light from the sun and sky is
great for use in workplaces because
of its excellent colour quality and
higher intensity in the blue part of the
spectrum. Many of the projects most
engaged in designing for wellness have
really used daylight in innovative ways.
One project opened up its stairway to a
central skylight which would distribute
light throughout each of the floors in an
otherwise dim space. Another eliminated
all the executive offices around the
perimeter and instituted universal
flexible seating, meaning that sunlit
offices were no longer restricted to the
elite few.
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