Table 1 Cognitive Impacts of Fragrance On Humans

2.2 Biophilic design and the office occupant environment

The following section discusses biophilia and nature-based features in relation to the employees in the workplace using case studies to create work environments for stress reduction in knowledge workers.

2.2.1 Site Selection

As discussed earlier restorative and healing gardens have made a return in the health care system. The research provides evidence of restorative gardens s increasing health and well-being for patient recovery from surgery or other ailments; preliminary findings indicate positive cognitive benefits for office workers. In addition to gardens, research also shows the benefits of walking in nature, on paths and in urban parks and forests, versus walking in urban settings without green infrastructure. The reduction in stress participants experiences while in the forest, not only improves the mood but also, enhances the functioning of their immune system. The essential oils emitted by evergreen trees are linked with improvements to the immune system and production of natural killer cells. Women report higher stress levels than men and are less likely to use outdoor nature during the workday, thus including access to indoor nature becomes even a greater priority for female knowledge workers. Outdoor nature is defined as "natural elements such as trees, shrubs, flowers and other vegetation in the workplace's outdoor environment." These natural elements that are brought indoors are indoor nature.

2.2.2 Aromas

Nature, urban gardens, and forests can be brought into the interior spaces through natural aromas. It has recently been discovered that the reduction in stress and improvements to the immune system produced by forest visits can be replicated when evergreen oils are removed from trees, aerosolized, and infused into hotel rooms. These are important findings and have significant, positive implications for businesses, knowledge workers and the health care system including enhanced performance, improved health and well-being, lower health care costs and reduction in sick days.

Table 1 Cognitive Impacts of Fragrance On Humans

S.No. Aroma Findings

1 Evergreen Oils Stress Reduction and Improvements to Immune System

2 Lemon and Jasmine Improvements in Mental Tasks

3 Peppermint Completion of Tedious Task and Increase Alertness

4 Cinnamon-Vanilla Improved Creativity

5 Rosemary Enhanced Memory

6 Lime, Marjoram, Rose, Lavender, Bergamot, And Cypress Reduce Anxiety

7 Lavender Promote Relaxation

2.2.3 Natural settings and movement

Figure 6 Connection with Natural Systems is the awareness of natural processes, especially seasonal and temporal changes characteristic of a healthy ecosystem ( Terrapin Bright Green, 2019)

Interaction with nature might best be made unavoidable as opposed to being “tucked away” in parks, as people are unable to predict the importance of nature and its positive benefits, they are unlikely to seek it out. Combining the need for movement with the connection to nature could be a win-win scenario increasing placebased relationships, creating greater cultural and ecological connections. Thus, alternative and varied working spaces that encourage movement, interaction with nature and potentially increase place-based design could be beneficial, possibly rethinking the office and surrounding environment. Encouraging knowledge workers to move, to relocate to alternate locations; and considering planning that encourages movement could all be beneficial.

2.2.4 Daylight and views

Figure 7 Dynamic & Diffuse Light leverages varying intensities of light and shadow that change over time to create conditions that occur in nature ( Terrapin Bright Green, 2019)

The stress-reducing benefits of providing daylighting and natural views in work environments are supported by Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (ART), and various workplace research studies. Artificial views of nature such as photographs or plasma screen images also produce cognitive benefits, although not as strong as with an actual view to nature.

Green building rating systems encourage views to the exterior, however, they do not specify that the view contains nature. The benefits of having a view through a window are strengthened if the view contains natural elements. Thus, when workers cannot be in nature, research suggests designers may consider views with natural content. Even views of nature during the commute to the office can be beneficial. Although being in direct nature is optimal but not all

Figure 8 Above: The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Singapore by RMJM Architects uses fresh air and sunlight to increase thermal comfort. (Jui-Yong Sim/Flickr,2019)

workplaces have access to natural views therefore it would be beneficial to bring nature indoors to most interior design projects.

2.2.5 Natural materials

Figure 9 A Material Connection with Nature is material and elements from nature that, through minimal processing, reflect the local ecology or geology to create a distinct sense of place. ( Terrapin Bright Green, 2019)

It has been shown that natural materials such as wood minimize stress levels and enhance occupants ' safety and well-being in indoor spaces. Researchers suggest the ideal proportion of wood, as an interior finish on walls and floors, is between 30 to 45 per cent of the combined surface area of the space. The 30 to 45 per cent ratings lead to the greatest amount of relaxation and thus lower stress level.

2.2.6 Plants

Considerable research suggests plants can have significant positive effects on workplace environments. It has been noted that plants have been shown to reduce noise levels, increase privacy, improve air quality, absorb carbon dioxide, improve humidity and absorb particles in the air. Workers with indoor plants in proximity to their desks took fewer sick leaves.

It is suggested that office spaces benefit from the introduction of plants. Memory recall and complex proofreading skills were improved when testing was conducted in individual offices containing four plants: two small flowering plants located on a windowsill, a one-foot-high plant located on a desk, and a four-foot-high floor plant.

2.2.7 Summary

Stress stimuli cause memory and productivity losses. Continuous chronic stress causes health problems and can lead to mental health issues. The examined literature indicates the psychological and physiological advantages of integrating nature into the development of the workplace. Finding suggests that exposure to nature mitigates stress stimuli and thus has restorative effects on health, well-being and productivity benefits for memory and attention (Kaplan, 2008). It appears that providing direct and indirect exposure to nature has the strongest impact on mitigating the response to stress. According to the literature examined incorporating nature and nature-based features that have potential application into workplace design includes the following: site selection, locating in or near direct or indirect nature, maximizing daylight and views to nature, incorporates natural scents, encouraging movement in natural settings, and including natural materials such as wood and plants when direct nature is not possible.

The case studies in Chapter 3 provide examples of the application of these strategies.

Figure 10 CookFox studio ( Terrapin Bright Green, 2019)

2.3 Building Standards

Given the increasing evidence that supports the advantages of biophilic design organizations are beginning to integrate the definition into their requirements and rating systems to promote the use of biophilia in their projects by building professionals. The WELL Building Standard and the Living Building Challenge are now the most influential proponents of biophilic design

2.3.1 WELL Building Standard

As a qualitative and quantitative criterion, the International WELL Building Institute uses biophilic architecture in its WELL Standard. The qualitative measure must include design (environmental elements, natural lighting, and spatial qualities), natural phenomena, and communication of nature within and outside the building; these efforts must be recorded for certification by the professional narrative.

Projects must have outdoor biophilia for the quantitative part (25 per cent of the project must have open landscaped grounds and or rooftop gardens and 70 per cent of which 25 per cent must have plantations), indoor biophilia (plant beds and pots must cover 1 per cent of the floor area and plant walls must cover 2 per cent of the floor area) and water characteristics (projects over 100,000sqft must have a water feature that is either 1.8m in height or 4 m2 in floor area).

Verification is enforced by the architects and owners by letters of assurance, and by spot checks on site. In general, the WELL Standard addresses can be applied to both metric types of buildings, with two exceptions: core and shell construction need not include quantitative interior biophilia, and existing interiors need not include qualitative interaction of nature.

2.3.2 Living Building Challenge

The International Living Future Institute is the founder of the living building challenge – a comprehensive building standard that aims to optimize construction quality. This norm recognizes the use of a biophilia atmosphere as an essential element in its area of health and happiness.

The task of living buildings includes the design of a structure that shows how the project involves nature through characteristics of the environment, space and light, natural forms and shapes, natural patterns, and site-based connections. The role also needs the tenants to be able to directly communicate with nature by interaction in the interior and exterior of the house. These are also checked through a formal process of inspection.