MNN - Mother Nature Network

Want to be healthier and more productive? Then work in a LEED-certified office! Okay — That advice is easier to take if you’re self-employed or the boss who picks out office space. But since many green changes can be made in any office, the news that greener buildings have positive effects on health and productivity could be good news for many.

 

That news comes from a study by researchers at Michigan State University, who examined two cases where employees moved from “conventional” offices to greener, LEED-certified workplaces. The improved indoor environmental quality of the greener offices “contributed to reductions in perceived absenteeism and work hours affected by asthma, respiratory allergies, depression, and stress and to self-reported improvements in productivity,” according to the researchers. (via Futurity; h/t Chris)

 

The findings, published in the September issue of the American Journal of Public Health, are just preliminary — but unsurprising to me. After all, if special care has been taken to improve and monitor indoor air quality standards, it makes sense that people would suffer less from allergies and asthma — both of which are linked to depression.

 

Want to breathe better in your home and workplace? Find out how to improve air quality — maybe even employing some indoor plants to clear the air! Or if you suspect a bigger air quality problem’s plaguing your office, follow the Environmental Protection Agency’s tips to resolve the problem.