Cost of an Unhealthy Office

The Unhealthy Office

Unfortunately, many people work in unhealthy environments. It has been estimated that most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors, often in synthetic environments filled with chemicals and poor lighting that compromise their health. For example, many of today’s furnishings and other office materials contain numerous toxins. The glues used to hold together pressed wood furniture and building materials, adhere laminated surfaces to furniture, and keep floors and carpets in place often are poisonous. Paints, particularly those that are oil-based, can be another source of toxins in the workplace. The toxins emitted from carpets, furniture, and plastics through “offgassing” can create a variety of health problems in anyone exposed to them. Other toxic materials include cleansers (bathroom, kitchen, wall, and carpet), chemicals used in manufacturing or other processes, perfumes (some airlines actually deny rides to overly perfumed customers), and biocides (pesticides, rodenticides, and insecticides).

In many buildings, the air intake (which is supposed to pull fresher, outdoor air inside) is placed by the loading dock. As a result, fumes from delivery trucks and other vehicles are left to circulate within the buildings. It’s no surprise that indoor air pollution can be 10 times worse than that found outdoors.

However, indoor pollutants are not the only health problem present in the workplace. Poorly designed lighting is another. It can result in eye strain, headaches, and higher than average work errors, which decrease productivity and product quality. Too much or too little light — or lighting that is not designed for the tasks at hand — actually can impair worker vision or make it more difficult to get the job done right.

The Costs of an Unhealthy Office

The costs of an unhealthy workplace can be tremendous. The use of unhealthy furnishings, paints, and supplies has cost many people more than just the purchase price of those materials — they have seen increased health costs and sick leave and decreased productivity.

Chemical Sensitivity, a breakdown of the body’s systems due to toxic exposure, and Sick Building Syndrome, a temporary sensitivity to chemicals, are increasingly common ailments that can result from unhealthy workplaces. Over 37 million people in the United States, alone, are thought to have a heightened sensitivity to chemicals. One National Academy of Sciences report projected that by the year 2010, 60% of the U.S. population will suffer from chemical sensitivity. Symptoms can include irritation of the eyes, nasal passages, and mucous membranes, dry skin, lethargy, difficulty concentrating, headaches, dizziness, and nausea.

To better understand the impacts of an unhealthy office, take a look at the following statistics:

Sick building syndrome is a problem in 30% of new and newly renovated buildings.

For all known health hazards associated with the EPA’s 65,000 toxic chemicals, it is estimated that there are at least 16,250,000 chemical injury victims currently and 375,000 new ones every year. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health figures suggest that there are as many as 25 million victims.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has estimated that up to 98% of all cancers may be linked to chemical exposures.

The NCI also estimates that 3 out of 10 people in the U.S. can expect to contract some form of cancer in their lifetimes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that: – medical care for major illnesses resulting from indoor air pollution cost more than $1 billion annually – lost productivity from those illnesses cost between $4.7 and $5.4 billion each year – lost productivity and increased sick leave time as a result of indoor-air-quality-related illnesses costs as high as $60 billion per year

The Healthy Office and Productivity

Many companies and government agencies have been plagued with unhealthy offices, and some have undergone costly renovations and paid high employee medical expenses to rid themselves of the problem. Considering that a company’s employees are its highest per-square-foot office cost, many companies are finding that it makes sense to use better approaches in designing, renovating, and furnishing buildings with their employees’ health in mind.

Since 85% of the per-square-foot office costs you pay goes toward employee expenses, just a 2% drop in productivity due to an unhealthy work environment could cost you an enormous amount. Healthy work environments have been shown to raise employee productivity by approximately 10% through less sick leave taken and healthier employee attitudes. For example, let’s say that one company’s New York employees cost $40,000 a year, occupy 200 square feet of space, and cost the company about $200 per square foot per person. A 10% productivity increase would result in a $20 per-square-foot per person increase in rental value.

A Success Story

A few years ago, the National Audubon Society retrofitted a 100-year-old, eight-story, $10 million building (partially financed through tax-free bonds) in downtown Manhattan for its new headquarters. The building was gutted, and the original materials were reused or recycled, keeping in place 300 tons of steel, 9,000 tons of masonry, and 560 tons of concrete. Then, it was renovated.

Audubon wanted to make its new space an environmentally responsible one. And it wanted to show that anyone can create an efficient, non-toxic workplace without struggling to find smarter products and without spending more money. The resulting retrofit made Audubon House 60% more energy-efficient than a conventional office building. Audubon originally projected that the savings would pay for themselves within three to five years; however, the energy efficiency (from heating, cooling, lighting) saved $100,000 each year, making the system pay for itself in under three years.

Motion sensors with manual buttons were installed in each room to control the lights, and zone sensors were placed in open areas. Long, rectangular pendant fixtures were hung from the ceilings, reflecting light off the ceilings and shining it in all directions. GE’s efficient T-8 bulbs were used, which dim as the sensors detect sunlight. Audubon’s lighting, alone, has saved the organization at least $60,000 annually over conventional lighting. Task lighting (arranged specifically for the tasks at hand) was used to minimize waste from unnecessary, general lighting.

During the summer months, air conditioning in most buildings doubles electricity consumption. In the winter, electric heat also doubles power consumption. But the gas-powered heater/chiller that Audubon purchased saves $36,000 each year by using gas over electricity. Unlike most air conditioners, it heats and cools with natural gas. When installed, the unit was only one of about three in New York City. It uses no chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and the thermal shell and other energy-efficient features resulted in a $72,000 rebate by Consolidated Edison, the local utility. The heater/chiller is relatively small and sits on the top floor of Audubon’s offices. It results in cleaner air that is circulated 6.5 times every hour (the heater/chiller has the capacity to exchange the air up to 18 times per hour). Most offices only circulate their air about four times per hour.

Audubon House provides a good example of a non- or low-toxic workplace. Although some of the new products’ initial costs were higher than conventional ones, Audubon required that they ALL pay for themselves within five years. The materials used (furniture, carpets, etc.) were relatively eco-friendly, with little or no toxicity. They included:

Mahogany tables certified by the Rainforest Alliance as sustainably harvested and containing no polyurethane (a hazard to those applying it)

Only low-VOC paints

100% virgin wool carpets made without chemicals or dyes (wool carpet lasts much longer than does synthetic carpet, so the carpeting will not need to be replaced as quickly)

Natural carpet padding made of jute fibers encased in recycled paper. In addition, the carpets and pads were tacked to the floor, avoiding the chemical offgassing that would have occurred had they been glued.

GTE floor tiles made of recycled glass, left over from lightbulb manufacture. Much harder than most, the tiles will not need to be replaced as often as standard floor tiles. In addition, they are impregnated with color and are non-porous, won’t scratch, and don’t need waxing. Although their initial cost is higher, the tiles require less care and last longer than most.

All materials brought into the building, from file folders and stationery to food packaging, meet strict purchasing guidelines specifying that they must contain recycled material and must be recyclable/compostable.

The building’s air intake is on the roof, where the air is cleaner, rather than over the loading dock as many building intake vents are. The Audubon system filters out 80% of the particles in the air intake, twice the New York City code.

The non-toxic insulation materials include:

Homasote (recycled newspapers mixed with water and compressed with heat) used under the floors

Multiple layers of fiberglass on the roof

Six inches of air-krete (made from magnesium salts and whipped sea water, which is pumped in as a liquid; its foam fills crevices and hardens into a non-toxic and nonflammable insulation) in the walls.

The staff likes Audubon House so much that it comes to work earlier, keeps the desks neater (which, by the way, are cleaned with citrus oil rather than toxic cleaners), and stays later.

How to Create a Healthier Office
There are several practical steps that you can take to create a healthier workplace. Of course, the key to a healthier office is prevention – in other words, use healthy and efficient building, lighting, and HVAC design, and use non-toxic building materials, furnishings, and office supplies. If you work in an existing, unhealthy office, the next best thing is to eliminate the problems. Here is how to do it:

Begin by carrying out an environmental audit. Consider inviting an outside firm to study your duct system, building and lighting design, and office furnishings and to survey employees.
Create corporate policies that encourage healthier purchasing decisions and production methods and support employee health.
Next, work with your office supply distributor to find healthier alternatives to conventional products. These can include everything from non-chlorine-bleached paper (organochlorines are highly hazardous) to non-toxic markers and correction fluid.

If you are renovating or building new, be sure to pay attention to:

• Building Materials
• Carpets and Flooring
• Cleaners
• Lighting Design
• Employee Workstation Comfort
• Electro-magnetic Fields
• Furnishings
• Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation
• Quality Lawn Care and Landscaping
• Office Supplies
• Paints and Wallcoverings
• Pest Control
• Radon
• Stress
• Water Quality

In addition, look for products that will not “off-gas” toxic chemicals (such as formaldehyde). Network with other companies, local government, and environmental organizations that are interested in creating healthier buildings. Look for case studies from the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, national laboratories, and organizations such as the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI’s upcoming book Green Development: Integrating Ecology and Real Estate and companion CD-ROM will have over 80 case studies; it is published by John Wiley and due out in November) that can help provide the quantitative data that your company may need as an incentive to creating a healthier workplace. Share information about product sources and what works and what does not. By carrying out these simple steps, you can create a healthier office, improve employee morale, and save money for your company.