15 Ways Green Buildings Impact Our Psychology

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The movement toward green construction has been booming in the past decade. In a survey conducted by Dodge Data & Analytics, nearly 50 percent of builders expect making the majority of their projects green by 2021, indicating a continued movement toward sustainable building.

Efficient in their resources and eco-conscious in their design, green buildings have helped lower 25 percent of our building energy consumption and 20 percent in maintenance costs. However, while we often talk about the environmental and economic benefits of green construction, we should also put more attention on the human benefits.

In fact, green buildings not only help the environment, but they also contribute to the well-being and productivity of occupants. Studies show that features such as sustainable materials, improved acoustics, green roofs, energy-efficient lighting, and LEED certification have a positive impact on our psychology, from giving us a greater sense of pride and community to improving our decision-making ability. For businesses and building contractors, having a green building could potentially function as a selling point and translate to better employee retention and performance, which impacts the long-term bottom line.

To illustrate, BigRentz created an infographic that highlights 15 research-backed ways sustainable environments affect the way we think and feel.

Research shows that green buildings play a role in boosting our indoor environments and, in turn, creating higher satisfaction, enhanced well-being, and increased productivity for people. These psychological benefits improve our livelihoods, leading to happier and more profitable businesses on top of environmental action.

As the costs for sustainable building materials and products continue to drop, green building will not only be cost-effective for construction, but also be the best solution for solving our environmental and health issues.