Potential Nationwide Improvements in Productivity and Health from Better Indoor Environments

Conference · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:1009824

Fisk, W J; Rosenfeld, A H

Theoretical considerations and empirical data suggest that existing technologies and procedures can improve indoor environments in a manner that significantly increases productivity and health. Existing literature contains moderate to strong evidence that characteristics of buildings and indoor environments significantly influence rates of respiratory disease, allergy and asthma symptoms, sick building symptoms, and worker performance. While there is considerable uncertainty in our estimates of the magnitudes of productivity gains that may be obtained by providing better indoor environments, the projected gains are very large. For the U.S., we estimate potential annual savings and productivity gains of $6 to $19 billion from reduced respiratory disease, $1 to $4 billion from reduced allergies and asthma, $10 to $20 billion from reduced sick building syndrome symptoms, and $12 to $125 billion from direct improvements in worker performance that are unrelated to health. In two example calculations, the potential financial benefits of improving indoor environments exceed costs by a factor of 8 and 14. Productivity gains that are quantified and demonstrated could serve as a strong stimulus for energy efficiency measures that simultaneously improve the indoor environment.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: Environmental Energy Technologies Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1009824
• Report Number(s): LBNL-41849
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR QUALITY
ALLERGY
ASTHMA
BUILDINGS
COST
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
FORECASTING
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDOORS
PERFORMANCE
PERSONNEL
PRODUCTIVITY
SYMPTOMS
WORKING CONDITIONS