Certification in the LEED rating system for green buildings traditionally has focused on strategies for increasing energy efficiency and lowering indoor air pollutant emissions by selecting appropriate and natural or recyclable materials. However, designing an energy efficient workplace and low pollution workplace doesn't necessarily equate with creating a healthy and productive workplace. In November 2008 the USGBC introduced 1 credit for good ergonomic design and programs in the Innovation sections of the rating system. This paper outlines the requirements of this ergonomics credit and it presents a case study of a building that has received LEED credit for their successful ergonomics program.
HanlonM. (2007) World population becomes more urban than rural, retrieved on Feb. 20, 2010 at http://www.gizmag.com/go/7334/.
3.
HedgeA. (2008) The sprouting of “Green Ergonomics”, Bulletin of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 51(12): 1–3.
4.
HedgeA.GaygenD.E. (2010) Indoor Environment Conditions and Computer Work in an Office, HVAC&R Research J, 16(2) 123–138.
5.
KlepeisN.E.NelsonW.C.OttW.R.RobinsonJ.P.TsangA.M.SwitzerP.BeharJ.V.HernS.C.EngelmannW.H. (2001) The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): A resource for assessing exposure to environmental pollutants, J. Exposure Analysis & Environmental Epidemiology, 11(3): 231–252.
6.
LeeY.S.KimS.K. (2008) Indoor environmental quality in LEED-certified buildings in the U.S. J. Asian Architecture & Building Engineering, 7(2): 293–300.
7.
LeeY.S.GuerinD.A. (2009) Indoor environmental quality related to occupant satisfaction and performance in LEED-certified buildings. J. Indoor & Built Environment, 18(4):293–300.
RohlesF.H.McClloughE.A. (1981) Clothing as a key to energy conservation, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Product Research & Development, 20, 18–23.
11.
SchweizerC.EdwardsR.D.Bayer-OglesbyL.GaudermanW.J.IlacquaV.JantunenM.J. (2007) Indoor time microenvironment-activity patterns in seven regions of Europe. J. Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 17(2):170–181.
12.
TawadaT.IkagaT.MurakamiS.KamedaK.UedaH. (2009) A field study of relationship between thermal environment, productivity and energy consumption in an office. Proc. Healthy Buildings, 2009, paper 128, 4 pages.
13.
UchidaS.TanabeS.NishiharaN.HanedaM.NakamuraS.KawaguchiG. (2009) The evaluation of productivity in COOL BIZ office by field measurement of thermal environment and questionnaire survey. Proc. Healthy Buildings, 2009, paper 117, 4 pages.
