Assessing workers’ productivity through biophilic design as a measure of sustainability in selected office buildings in Lagos state, Nigeria

Abstract

With developers seeking minimalist designs that maximise space with land being at a premium, the quality of life has been neglected amidst the technological advancement and development. Human beings require contact with nature now more than ever to live healthy, productive lives. This affiliation with nature is what is described as Biophilia. Biophilic design is the incorporation of elements of nature into the design of spaces and is regarded as an extension of sustainability. Lagos is often described as the city with the fastest growing economy, which implies a lot of business activities are sprung up and the need for a sustainable working environment cannot be overemphasised. This study assesses the influence of biophilic design strategies on the productivity of users in selected office buildings in Lagos state, Nigeria. The study adopts a stratified random sampling technique to select respondents who are mainly users of the selected buildings. Data obtained from respondents was analysed using regression analysis. Findings reveal that biophilic design strategies has a significant influence on workers’ productivity, however the biophilic elements occurred as isolated occurrences of nature as to a culminated effect. The study recommends early-on integration of biophilic design patterns to attain maximum effect, as well as the proper integration of biophilic design elements.