NEW YORK CITY—The US design and construction industry is gearing up for wider adoption of building practices that prioritize the physical, mental and social well-being of tenants and occupants, says a new report from Delos, a wellness real estate and technology firm, and Dodge Data & Analytics. Titled “The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings 2016,” the report also finds that the owners of such buildings have already begun to realize business benefits, such as increased leasing rates and higher asset values.
That being said, the report notes that more than half of owners do not know the impact of their healthy building investments on business benefits like leasing rates and asset values. However, among those that report an impact, 73% report cite lease-ups and 62% point to higher values.
Although interior designers and architects are currently leading the charge toward using these practices, strong owner interest is likely to increase their engagement, even as the industry continues to gather data on the business and financial benefits of investing in healthier building practices. “The increased attention to building health impacts is just beginning,” says Stephen A. Jones, senior director of industry insights at Dodge Data.
Jones likens it to the way in companies engaged in green construction several years ago “because of the demonstrable business and financial benefits they were able to achieve. The findings of this report demonstrate that the focus on buildings that enhance the health and well-being of their occupants is likely to follow a similar trajectory, boosted by those who have committed to sustainability in their organizations.”
Comprising the top five among healthier building features now in use are the following: better lighting/daylighting exposure; products that enhance thermal comfort; spaces that enhance social interaction; enhanced air quality; and products that enhance acoustical comfort. Use of nearly all of these features is expected to grow considerably along with further pioneering approaches like the use of biophilic design features, i.e. spaces that enhance tenant mood and opportunities for physical activity.
“This report illustrates how the design and construction industry is helping to drive efforts to introduce preventative medical intentions into our built environment, where we spend more than 90% of our time,” says Paul Scialla, Delos' founder and CEO Paul Scialla. “By focusing on people in design, construction, operations and development decisions, we have an unprecedented opportunity to drive innovation, add significant economic value to real estate assets, generate savings in personnel costs and enhance the human experience.” The complete report can be accessed here.
Earlier this week, the Well Living Lab, a collaboration between Delos and the Mayo Clinic, announced its first Alliance Members. They include Arup, CBRE Group, Inc., IBM, Lendlease, Sino-Ocean Group Holding Limited and View Inc. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and Noaber Foundation have joined as Sustaining Alliance Members, while Welspun has joined as a Supporting Alliance Member.
Established in September 2015, the Well Living Lab is a new research facility dedicated to understanding the interaction between health and well-being and indoor environments through human-centered research. It's intended to generate evidence-based information through human-centered research that can be used in practical ways to create healthier spaces in which to live, work and play.
When CBRE and Delos announced a strategic partnership this past February, Scialla told GlobeSt.com that the alliance between the two firms was taking “a very careful approach to the 10-year-old industry question, going from point A to point B: do healthier buildings lead to more productivity? Our thinking is that we need to deconstruct that logic, and we need to look at this every step of the way.”
That being said, the report notes that more than half of owners do not know the impact of their healthy building investments on business benefits like leasing rates and asset values. However, among those that report an impact, 73% report cite lease-ups and 62% point to higher values.
Although interior designers and architects are currently leading the charge toward using these practices, strong owner interest is likely to increase their engagement, even as the industry continues to gather data on the business and financial benefits of investing in healthier building practices. “The increased attention to building health impacts is just beginning,” says Stephen A. Jones, senior director of industry insights at Dodge Data.
Jones likens it to the way in companies engaged in green construction several years ago “because of the demonstrable business and financial benefits they were able to achieve. The findings of this report demonstrate that the focus on buildings that enhance the health and well-being of their occupants is likely to follow a similar trajectory, boosted by those who have committed to sustainability in their organizations.”
Comprising the top five among healthier building features now in use are the following: better lighting/daylighting exposure; products that enhance thermal comfort; spaces that enhance social interaction; enhanced air quality; and products that enhance acoustical comfort. Use of nearly all of these features is expected to grow considerably along with further pioneering approaches like the use of biophilic design features, i.e. spaces that enhance tenant mood and opportunities for physical activity.
“This report illustrates how the design and construction industry is helping to drive efforts to introduce preventative medical intentions into our built environment, where we spend more than 90% of our time,” says Paul Scialla, Delos' founder and CEO Paul Scialla. “By focusing on people in design, construction, operations and development decisions, we have an unprecedented opportunity to drive innovation, add significant economic value to real estate assets, generate savings in personnel costs and enhance the human experience.” The complete report can be accessed here.
Earlier this week, the Well Living Lab, a collaboration between Delos and the Mayo Clinic, announced its first Alliance Members. They include Arup,
Established in September 2015, the Well Living Lab is a new research facility dedicated to understanding the interaction between health and well-being and indoor environments through human-centered research. It's intended to generate evidence-based information through human-centered research that can be used in practical ways to create healthier spaces in which to live, work and play.
When CBRE and Delos announced a strategic partnership this past February, Scialla told GlobeSt.com that the alliance between the two firms was taking “a very careful approach to the 10-year-old industry question, going from point A to point B: do healthier buildings lead to more productivity? Our thinking is that we need to deconstruct that logic, and we need to look at this every step of the way.”
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