Green building doesn’t mean happy workers

A new report claims the United Kingdom's 'fixation' on greening it's building stock is not improving the quality of life of workers.


The report Building Quality of Life launched today (March 15), is commissioned by property firm Development Securities,

The research was conducted by University College London and built environment consultants BRE on behalf of property firm Development Securities.

The report include the finding that ‘green buildings are not always better for occupants’

It says: “The fixation on making buildings sustainable in a new environmentally-friendly culture is having a negative impact on occupier well-being in the workplace.

“Centralised green technology and systems take personal control away from individuals, over-complicate office environments and ultimately drive people to adopt energy-inefficient measures … personal fan heaters in temperature-controlled offices.”

Development Securities chief executive, Michael Marx, said: “All of us – Government, planners, architects and property developers – need to think more critically about the environments and workspaces that we create.”

Luke Walsh

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