Efficient buildings make people productive but health issues may occur

Solar panels, lead-free paint and low-flow toilets may be added to the agenda of monthly business meetings. That’s because people feel more productive and healthier in green spaces, according to a recent Michigan State University study.

But some researchers are starting to question the impact of environmentally friendly buildings on human health. Green structures built airtight for energy efficiency could trap toxic gases emitted by modern cleaning chemicals and furnishings, they say.

PRODUCTIVE BUILDINGS

Preliminary Michigan State research shows that employees working in buildings with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, an international green building certification system commonly known as LEED, are less likely to suffer from asthma, allergies and stress. The employees also reported higher levels of productivity, and took fewer days off, according to the study, published by the American Journal of Public Health in August 2010.

The LEED certification system requires builders to consider several guidelines during construction. They must choose a sustainable site and incorporate water and energy-efficient design elements. There’s also a focus on materials, resources and indoor air quality. Since its introduction in 1998, nearly 14,000 projects were certified in the United States and in more than 30 countries, according to the certification developers, the Green Building Council.

Green building is expected to grow by 40 percent, producing 7 billion square feet of LEED certified construction since the standard was initiated, according to the 2009 green building and market report.

The findings are promising for both businesses and employers, says Sue Grady, a member of the study’s research team.

“From our study, employees report that they are more productive, so savings and increased productivity are advantageous for businesses,” Grady says. “Most of us spend up to two-thirds of our day indoors so living and working in places with good ventilation, lighting, temperature, acoustics, etc. also appears to be good for our health, based on our preliminary study.”

The researchers based their conclusions on two different case studies, both in the Lansing, Mich. area.

The 82-year-old headquarters of the Christman Co., a construction management company in Lansing recently received the world’s first double platinum LEED certification in 2009. It’s earned when both the core and shell of the building, which includes the structure of the buildings, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems, follows LEED guidelines, in addition to interior features.

“We were building a new headquarters for the Christman Co – since before that we hadn’t moved for about 80 years,” says Gavin Gardi, sustainable programs manager of the company. “In the process, we realized that we could achieve platinum certification at a minimum additional cost.”

Another case study is the headquarters of the Michigan State Federal Credit Union, also a gold rated LEED-certified building in the Lansing area.

Buildings consume 40 percent of all energy and approximately 72 percent of all electricity used in the United States, according to the Energy Information Administration. The energy used is equal to 38 percent of total carbon emissions in the United States. That’s more than the emissions generated from the entire transportation sector.

Green buildings often mitigate these emissions by featuring solar panels, recycled building materials, low-flow toilets and other water saving appliances, according to the Green Building Council.

TOXIC BUILDINGS

Green buildings may have potential environmental benefits, but not all researchers agree about their impact on human health.

John Wargo, a professor in the Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, wrote an article in August about the threat of LEED buildings to humans. Wargo argues that green buildings, which are usually more airtight to save energy, can trap gases emitted from modern cleaning chemicals and furnishings.

Wargo co-authored a report on the issue, which was published in Environment and Human Health Journal. The LEED system does not give as much consideration to health as it does to energy efficiency, according to the report. “Nearly four times as many credits are awarded for energy conservation technologies and designs as for protection of indoor environmental quality from hazardous chemicals,” according to the summary.

Wargo failed to respond to several requests for an interview.

The LEED program is based on a 100-point scoring system for buildings. The number of points earned defines what level of certification it receives: platinum, gold, silver and certified.

Wargo argues that the majority of the points available for a LEED building are for energy conservation; there aren’t enough for indoor environmental quality.

Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Indoor levels of pollutants also may be two to five times higher, and sometimes 100 times higher than outdoor levels.

Chemicals used widely throughout the home – such as bleach, chlorine, fire-retardants,and air fresheners – can all be sources of indoor air pollutants. Fumes from certain wood polishes and paints also often threaten air quality, according to the agency.

In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control tested humans for many of these contaminants. It found many people contaminated with metals, pesticides, plastic polymers and other solvents.

LEED buildings are not exempt from also threatening their inhabitants, according to Wargo. Many products such as perfluorinated chemicals often used for non-stick cookware and stain resistant materials, phthalates – used in flexible vinyl products – and PBDEs – used in flame retardants in textiles, plastics, and wire insulation – are approved for use in LEED certified buildings.

“Programs such as LEED place relatively little emphasis on indoor air quality and the impact of ‘off-gassing’ of chemicals on the health of a building’s occupants,” Wargo stated in the article.

But most LEED buildings actually do not use toxic products, says Matt Syal, a co-author with Grady on the recent Michigan State University report.

“The material you are using inside has low toxins compared to a regular building,” he says.

And the opinions of the employees used in his study give him confidence to conclude that LEED buildings are better for health and productivity.

HAPPY WORKERS

The physical aesthetic of the building was not the only thing that changed when Christman Company’s headquarters became LEED certified, says Angela Bailey, vice president of company marketing.

“I had some seasonal allergies previously and it recently occurred to me that I am not taking over the counter allergy medication anymore,” Bailey says. “The air is just cleaner to breathe; other people say that too.”

Productivity also has increased.

“The general feeling in the building is that people are more productive, they are happier, they have more control over their environment,” says Gardi, Christman’s sustainable programs manager. “The mood in the building is very different than what it was in the old building, which I think has resulted from the outside air we bring in, the daylight; all of those factors lead to greater healthiness and greater productivity.”

The Michigan State researchers plan to apply for more funding to continue this study. Syal hopes to research whether the simple excitement of moving into a new building has an impact on the actual productivity and wellness of the employees.

“Some people claim that whenever you move into a new building you will always do better initially,” he says. “We want to try to figure out how to take care of this limitation.”

But for now, the general consensus is that those who have moved into LEED buildings feel better.

“There is just something about the air quality here,” Bailey says. “There is just something right about working in this building.”

*Note: This story initially appeared in the Fall 2010 issue of EJ Magazine.