LIGHTING AND ITS IMPACT
stimulation delivered. The review of the test and control buildings showed: Electric lighting. Both spaces are lit by T8 fluorescent luminaires fitted with a reflector or a prismatic diffuser. Most spaces have warm white lighting, and colour rendering meets standard recommendations in most rooms. Lighting on desk surfaces is below standard recommendations in the test building (500 lux according to BS EN 12464-1), but within these in the control building.
Daylighting. Daylight provision appears sufficient. All office rooms in the test building, and most in the control building, meet the minimum daylight levels recommended in BS EN 17037. High levels of annual sunlight exposure increase the probability of glare, but the occupants can control this with internal blinds.
Circadian stimulation
While electric lighting alone currently provides insufficient circadian stimulation in both buildings, and not all occupants benefit from sufficient vertical levels of daylight, the results have indicated that there is the potential to enhance the lighting to achieve circadian stimulation for the occupants.
The next phase
The next phase of the project is the refurbishment of the test building in three zones, using three levels of biophilic design developed by Oliver Heath Design. Once the occupants have moved back into the test building, both test and control building will be monitored for another 12 months. Results of the ‘before’ and ‘after’ refurbishment will be analysed to understand the benefits of a biophilic design approach to occupants. An analysis will also be carried out to understand the costs of the interventions in each zone versus the benefits. The building will be subdivided into the three zones, named after the influential biophilia researchers, Erich Fromm, Stephen Kellert, and Edward O. Wilson, and the Environmental Room, where technologies can be tested individually. These will be:
The Fromm – ‘Accessible’ – Zone (Fig 6) looks at biophilic design elements that could be added at the end of any standard refit or existing office. It demonstrates design solutions that are available to all workplaces, such as pot plants and nature-inspired artworks and colours.
The Kellert – ‘Integrated’ – Zone (Fig 7) focuses on biophilic design solutions that could be easily adopted and integrated at the beginning of any refurbishment, including a variety of planting and moss walls, biomorphic floor tiles, and controllable lighting systems providing dynamic and diffuse light.
48 Health Estate Journal May 2020
Figure 8: The Wilson Area – Innovative design. Visualisation of the space.
The Wilson – 'Innovative' – Zone (Fig 8) is being developed with high-level biophilic design intervention and innovation. It will showcase new products and systems, and innovative design ideas for the ideal workspace. These include active air unit green walls, intelligent soundscapes, zoned, diverse spaces using colour from paint, floorcoverings, and furniture, and variable lighting set to follow daylight variation throughout the day to provide support for balanced circadian rhythms.
The Environmental Room is where biophilic products and strategies – such as lighting to support circadian rhythms –
can be individually tested in a working office to understand the impact on occupants of a single change to their indoor environment.
First phase report
A report will shortly be published giving full details of the first phase results from the test and control buildings – as well as lighting, their indoor air and thermal conditions, acoustics, and the occupant responses. The report will be freely available to view and download. Further information on the project is accessible at:
www.bregroup.com/ services/research/the-biophilic-office hej
Cosmin Ticleanu
Cosmin Ticleanu is a principal consultant in Lighting for BRE, where he leads and undertakes consultancy and research projects for public and private sector customers into all aspects of electric lighting and daylighting. His most recent research work has included studies on lighting impacts on health, wellbeing, and performance. He is a WELL Accredited Professional, and a Senior Teaching Fellow at The Bartlett UCL Faculty of The Built Environment.
Flavie Lowres
Flavie Lowres is an associate director in the Strategy and Innovation team at BRE. As part of her role, she is co-ordinating the BRE Biophilic Office Project, a ‘unique long-term collaborative study’ involving 10 core partners and more than 12 dissemination partners from the UK and internationally. The study involves the continuous monitoring of an office space and its occupants for one year before, and one year after, it is refurbished, using three levels of biophilic design.
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