Green Building – A Tool to Improve Employees’ Health and Productivity
People spend around 90,000 hours at the workplace on average over their lifetime. A couple of researches have shown that the design of a workplace has a significant impact on the physical and mental health, well-being and productivity of its users.
The expectation of an easy, predictable, problem-free existence has never occurred in the lives of any of us It turns out that stress is the new manager in companies. Some believe that it is up to us to manage our own well-being, but end up seeing how often the situation gets out of hand by […]
Shifting the Boundaries of Workplace Design and Experience
As wellness rises up the corporate agenda, we are fast realizing there is real opportunity to add value to real estate assets, enhance human health, achieve excellence in general building operations and, from a business perspective, generate savings in employee costs.
It may not be feasible for every building to have its own pool or gym, but all Residential owners should be thinking critically about what health and well-being interventions could benefit their properties. And for owners who have already taken steps to improve their building’s energy performance, health and well-being can be approached with a similar process.
Changing Perception about Green Buildings and the Importance of ESG by focusing on Health and Wellness
People do not often consider how the places where they spend their time affect their health. When asked how often they consider the health and environmental impacts of the buildings they spend time in, 39 percent said they never considered it or do not know.
Green Schools: Ensuring Student Health and Well-being
With so much time being spent inside buildings, it is no surprise that the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) has an effect on the building occupants’ health and well-being.
Most people know that the air we breathe outside can be polluted with harmful particles that affect our health. What is less often considered, is that this is no different and sometimes even worse in indoor environments.
The Healthy Building Movement: Impact on People, Planet, and Profit
Rising temperatures not only increase energy use, but also result in accelerated rates of heat-related illness and death. These concerns are especially relevant in urban areas, which often struggle to mitigate the impacts of heat island effect— a phenomenon where more urbanized areas are hotter than surrounding rural areas.
If we strive to achieve GRESB Green Star accreditation and do not make serious efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of the occupants why bother? Why go to all that effort and only reach half of the building’s potential?
Air Pollution and Indoor Air: is this ‘invisible’ danger becoming more visible?
Research continues to find links between air pollution and health effects; a recent study has associated short-term exposure to PM with increased symptoms of psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, in children.
A Budding Interest in Health and Well-being in Real Estate
Incorporating health and well-being into real estate design takes time and investment. Why, then, do companies make the effort? To find out, we spoke with Elena Cernov, Sustainability Consultant at Schneider Electric Energy & Sustainability Services.
Health & Well-being in offices: are you a Squirrel or a Beaver?
Three among many examples illustrate this underlying trend: real estate projects now include plenty of services to tenants, certifications focused on health and well-being gain in popularity, and research projects try to quantify the impact of wellbeing on productivity.
Industries across sectors are mobilizing around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), responding to an urgent call to action for urban development to recognize the ties between human health, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic equity.
The ESG Trifecta for Real Assets: Why You Need Strategy, Technology, and Process to be Successful
The real asset industry is under increasing pressure from investors and stakeholders to improve environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. According to BlackRock’s most recent Global Real Asset Outlook, the real asset sector received $203B of cash inflows in 2018. Infrastructure had its second consecutive record breaking year with $85B raised. The growth in real assets […]
A Greater Grasp: How we can use green building to motivate and make meaningful strides in sustainability
It’s up to all of us to start engaging wider audiences and convince the public of the reality of climate-related threats. And to do that, we need to illustrate the importance of small, everyday actions. We have to connect the dots between people and the planet they call home.
Canada is known as one of the most diverse countries in the world, but many of our industries have trouble reflecting Canada’s diversity in its workforce. This has certainly been the case with commercial real estate (CRE), which has traditionally had the reputation of being composed of mostly white, able-bodied males.
Diversity will enable climate innovation and resilience
There are strong cases for organizational Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) and action on climate change. Diverse and inclusive cultures bring about ideas, effective problem solving and, ultimately, greater chances of success.
Gender lens investing is a relatively new concept that refers to investing with the intent to address gender issues. Gender lens investing is on the rise in Canada as responsible investors lean in to narrow the gap in corporate leadership.
