Improved Environment
In addition to energy consumption and material/product selection based on high-performance and sustainability, the Green Team scrutinized the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of the project. Recent studies indicate that improvements in lighting, thermal comfort, acoustics, and indoor air quality (IAQ) can provide measurable increases in employee satisfaction by virtue of inhabiting an enhanced workplace. Accordingly, the Green Team’s focus on integrating the issues discussed above, such as higher ceilings, quality glare-free lighting, individual temperature control, maximization of natural illumination, minimization of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), and high levels of flexibility, played a major role in project decision making.
One especially potent example of this project’s indoor environmental quality can be demonstrated by the performance of the "Krantz" floor diffusers. These diffusers provide 100% ventilation efficiency, a significant factor in reducing the potential for "Sick Building Syndrome" due to airborne contaminants. Conventional ceiling-based HVAC systems range in efficiency from 33% to 80%. According to the National Institute For Occupational Safety And Health (NIOSH), inadequate ventilation is the main source of IAQ problems, responsible for 53% of poor IAQ cases reported.
It should also be noted that in order to insure the designed high levels of air quality throughout occupancy, a rigorous green housekeeping and maintenance plan has been adopted to utilize non-toxic based chemicals and cleaning solutions. The motto for the maintenance staff is "Clean for Health".
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