Establishing psychological wellbeing metrics for the built environment

Abstract

The business case for wellbeing is now an influential agenda in the built environment. Increasing demand for user-centred environments means evidence-based design proven to deliver wellbeing outcomes for end users is essential. The challenge is to effectively capture and disseminate this evidence to a range of expert and non-expert audiences. Further, being able to make the link between increased wellbeing and an increase in the productivity, or performance, of building users requires new definitions and methods. An innovative wellbeing valuation approach is presented, consisting of a multi-item scale to measure and quantify the wellbeing outcomes experienced by building users, and impact reporting techniques using Social Return on Investment to produce transferable, monetised evaluation metrics. This combination has the capability to communicate the value of design in a powerful and accessible manner. Wellbeing valuation metrics represent an opportunity to develop new user-driven knowledge and shape the built environment in positive ways. Practical application: Wellbeing has become an influential agenda in the built environment in recent years, suggesting that user-centred priorities will become increasingly significant to the design and construction sector. The wellbeing valuation approach presented represents an innovative blend of a psychological wellbeing model, quantitative measurement and financial reporting to produce transferable metrics to communicate the value of design in a powerful and transformative manner. Wellbeing valuation is a nascent practice, but it provides the professions with opportunities to collaborate with end users and develop new knowledge about buildings, enhancing the ability of practitioners to shape the built environment in positive ways.