Green buildings deliver higher worker productivity

Dateline: 04.10.2009
Author: Press release

A University of San Diego study released in September 2009 does not appear to have received the attention it deserves, notes Green Cleaning advocate Stephen Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group and Sustainable Tool, LLC. The study found that employees working in Green buildings are more productive than their counterparts in non-Green facilities.

“The researchers identified a Green building as one that is LEED-certified or Energy Star-labeled,” says Ashkin.

The comprehensive study involved more than 2,000 workers from 154 different Green buildings. Formerly, these staffers worked in conventional, non-Green facilities.

For the study, researchers looked at two key measurements: number of sick days reported and self-reported productivity percentage changes.

Among the findings:

* 45% of respondents reported an average of 2.9 fewer sick days in the new Green location

* Nearly 43% of the employees agreed they were more productive in Green buildings; 12% said they strongly agreed they were more productive in Green buildings and 45% noted little change

* 10% actually reported an increase in the number of sick days after moving to a Green facility.

“Some clarification is needed to explain the last two statistics,” points out Ashkin who will be presenting two seminars on Green Cleaning and sustainability issues at the upcoming ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America tradeshow in Chicago.

“Many of these folks reporting no changes or even an increase in sick days were in Energy Star-labeled buildings that do not have indoor air quality (IAQ) requirements. LEED-certified buildings do have IAQ standards and that makes a big difference.”

Ashkin went on to add that these findings are similar to other studies conducted over the past few years. “They remind us of the many benefits of Green buildings, which [are] not only fewer sick days and greater worker productivity, but enhanced employee retention, recruitment, and worker morale.”

www.ashkingroup.com

Green buildings deliver higher worker productivity