Linking Environmental

Linking Environmental
Conditions to Productivity
Conditions to Productivity
Professor Alan Hedge, Professor Alan Hedge, PhD, CPE PhD, CPE
Cornell University Cornell University
Dept. Design & Environmental Analysis Dept. Design & Environmental Analysis
NYS College of Human Ecology NYS College of Human Ecology
Ithaca, NY 14853 Ithaca, NY 14853- -4401 4401
(email: (email: ah29@cornell.edu ah29@cornell.edu) )
(Abbreviated slideshow based on a presentation at the Eastern (Abbreviated slideshow based on a presentation at the Eastern
Ergonomics Conference and Exposition, New York, June, 2004) Ergonomics Conference and Exposition, New York, June, 2004)
IEQ Effects on Productivity
IEQ Effects on Productivity

Scattered studies that mostly show evidence of

Scattered studies that mostly show evidence of
an association between indoor environment
an association between indoor environment
conditions and some measure of performance.
conditions and some measure of performance.

Research issues:
Research issues:

Laboratory vs. field studies

Laboratory vs. field studies

Single vs. multiple contaminants/conditions

Single vs. multiple contaminants/conditions

Surveys vs. interventions

Surveys vs. interventions

Short
Short
-
-
term vs. longer
term vs. longer
-
-
term
term

Single exposure vs. multiple exposure

Single exposure vs. multiple exposure

Time
Time
-
-
lagged effects
lagged effects

Acute vs. chronic health effects

Acute vs. chronic health effects
IEQ Effects on Productivity
IEQ Effects on Productivity
System System Environmental Environmental
experience experience
Productivity Impact Productivity Impact
Heating, Heating,
Ventilating and Ventilating and
Air Conditioning Air Conditioning
System System
Thermal comfort Thermal comfort
Indoor Air Quality Indoor Air Quality
Background noise Background noise
Mechanical Mechanical
vibration vibration
Personal Personal
control/stress control/stress
Performance decreases when too cold Performance decreases when too cold
Performance decreases when too hot Performance decreases when too hot
Performance decreases in polluted air Performance decreases in polluted air
Performance decreases when too noisy Performance decreases when too noisy
Performance decreases when Performance decreases when
person/equipment vibrates person/equipment vibrates
Performance decreases with no control Performance decreases with no control
(perceived or real) (perceived or real)
IEQ Effects on Productivity
IEQ Effects on Productivity
System System Environmental Environmental
experience experience
Productivity Impact Productivity Impact
Lighting System Lighting System Illumination level/ Illumination level/
distribution distribution
Glare Glare
Ambient/task Ambient/task
systems systems
Color Color
Room ambience Room ambience
(shadows) (shadows)
Personal Personal
control/stress control/stress
Performance decreases when too dim or Performance decreases when too dim or
too bright too bright
Performance decreases when too glaring Performance decreases when too glaring
Task demands and user age change light Task demands and user age change light
requirements requirements
Affective changes in environmental Affective changes in environmental
desirability desirability
Disrupts visual inspection/ interpersonal Disrupts visual inspection/ interpersonal
interactions interactions
Performance decreases with no control Performance decreases with no control
(perceived or real) (perceived or real)
IEQ Effects on Productivity
IEQ Effects on Productivity
System System Environmental Environmental
experience experience
Productivity Impact Productivity Impact
Sound Sound
conditioning conditioning
system/ system/
Acoustic design Acoustic design
Background noise Background noise
Speech Speech
privacy/intelligibility privacy/intelligibility
Noise stress Noise stress
Personal Personal
control/stress control/stress
Performance decreases with loud/annoying Performance decreases with loud/annoying
noise noise
Performance decreases with poor privacy Performance decreases with poor privacy
Performance decreases with noise stress Performance decreases with noise stress
Performance decreases with no control Performance decreases with no control
(perceived or real) (perceived or real)
IEQ factors and Human Performance
IEQ factors and Human Performance
Productivity
Productivity
Temperature
- Hot
- Cold
Lighting
- Bright
- Dim
- Glare
Personal
Control
Indoor Air Quality
- Acute
- Chronic
Sound
- Noise
- Disturbance
Vibration
- Segmental
- Whole-body
Optimal IEQ Conditions
Optimal IEQ Conditions
Thermal conditions Too cold
Too hot
Acoustic conditions
Too quiet
Too loud
Indoor air quality
Too polluted
Lighting conditions
Too dim
Too bright
Vibration
Too vibrating
OPTIMAL IEQ
(Source: Stanton, Hedge et al. (2004) Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics, CRC Press)
Productivity
Productivity

Individual Work Performance

Individual Work Performance

Productivity research traditionally has focused at the

Productivity research traditionally has focused at the
coarse, aggregate level of the building and the
coarse, aggregate level of the building and the
occupants.
occupants.

Aggregate measures cannot define precise

Aggregate measures cannot define precise
associations between IEQ conditions and individual
associations between IEQ conditions and individual
productivity.
productivity.

Laboratory studies have investigated performance and

Laboratory studies have investigated performance and
exposure to specific pollutants and mixtures, but
exposure to specific pollutants and mixtures, but
exposures are short
exposures are short
-
-
term, non
term, non
-
-
cumulative and use
cumulative and use
simulated work tasks
simulated work tasks

Research need is to focus on the performance of the

Research need is to focus on the performance of the
individual and the environment experienced by that the
individual and the environment experienced by that the
individual.
individual.

Individual measures:
Individual measures:
Self Self- -reports reports
Task Performance (time, accuracy, quantity, quality) Task Performance (time, accuracy, quantity, quality)
IEQ and Productivity Research
IEQ and Productivity Research

New Research Approach

New Research Approach

Combining
Combining
spatio
spatio
-
-
temporal IEQ and Productivity Datasets
temporal IEQ and Productivity Datasets
IEQ measure needs to include air temperature and relative IEQ measure needs to include air temperature and relative
humidity because thermal conditions are known to humidity because thermal conditions are known to
influence work performance, and consequently could influence work performance, and consequently could
confound any associations with air pollutants. confound any associations with air pollutants.
Most HVAC systems are designed to regulate thermal Most HVAC systems are designed to regulate thermal
conditions, and HVAC systems respond to thermostat conditions, and HVAC systems respond to thermostat
controls. controls.
Thermal conditions impact levels of Thermal conditions impact levels of VOCs VOCs and other and other
pollutants pollutants
Thermal conditions are an indicator of ventilation quality. Thermal conditions are an indicator of ventilation quality.
High temperatures can indicate poor ventilation which in High temperatures can indicate poor ventilation which in
turn can indicate high pollutant loads. turn can indicate high pollutant loads.
IEQ Data Logging
IEQ Data Logging

IEQ logging units that can be:

IEQ logging units that can be:

Widely dispersed throughout a building

Widely dispersed throughout a building

Small size
Small size

Silent operation
Silent operation

Self
Self
-
-
powered
powered

Inexpensive
Inexpensive

Frequent logging/data storage capabilities

Frequent logging/data storage capabilities

Ideally, work computer synchronized

Ideally, work computer synchronized

Ideally, collect data on a wide array of IEQ

Ideally, collect data on a wide array of IEQ
variables.
variables.
Average Daily Temperature Pattern
Average Daily Temperature Pattern

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
Average Daily Humidity Pattern
Average Daily Humidity Pattern

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
7
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Time
38.0
40.0
42.0
44.0
46.0
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50.0
52.0
M
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a
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R
H
Electronic Productivity Measures
Electronic Productivity Measures

Keystrokes/errors/mouse activity
Keystrokes/errors/mouse activity

Utilize existing networked data collection software

Utilize existing networked data collection software
(EMS)
(EMS)

Data file
Data file

every work minute the software records a

every work minute the software records a
count of:
count of:
Correct keystrokes Correct keystrokes
Errors Errors
Mouse activity Mouse activity
Longitudinal data (e.g. every 15 minutes for 16 days) Longitudinal data (e.g. every 15 minutes for 16 days)
Electronic Productivity Measures
Electronic Productivity Measures

Example of data structure

Example of data structure
(does not show
(does not show
errors column)
errors column)
Average Daily Keying Pattern
Average Daily Keying Pattern

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
7
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M
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p
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1
5

m
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Average Daily
Average Daily
Mousing
Mousing
Pattern
Pattern

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
Average Daily Error Pattern
Average Daily Error Pattern

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
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Time
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M
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E
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p
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m
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Keystrokes and
Keystrokes and
Mousing
Mousing

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
0 200 400 600 800
Mouse seconds per 15 minutes
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
K
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p
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m
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Humidity and Keystrokes
Humidity and Keystrokes

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0
RH
0
500
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1500
2000
2500
K
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p
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m
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R Sq Linear =0.001
Light and Keystrokes
Light and Keystrokes

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
Temperature and Keystrokes
Temperature and Keystrokes

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
19.00 20.00 21.00 22.00 23.00 24.00 25.00 26.00
TempC
0
500
1000
1500
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2500
K
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p
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m
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R Sq Linear =0.006
Temperature and Errors
Temperature and Errors

Insurance company (Florida)

Insurance company (Florida)

9 workstations for 16 work days

9 workstations for 16 work days
19.00 20.00 21.00 22.00 23.00 24.00 25.00 26.00
TempC
0
100
200
300
E
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p
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m
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R Sq Linear =0.01
Mouse Seconds
Mouse Seconds
Dependent Variable: Mouse Seconds
95% Confidence Interval
Parameter B
Std.
Error t Sig.
Lower
Bound
Upper
Bound
Intercept 176.333 3.505 50.308 .000 169.461 183.206
Temperature
2
(nTaC) 5.325 2.301 2.314 .021 .814 9.836
RH
2
(nRH) -.207 .101 -2.050 .040 -.405 -.009
Mouse seconds=176.33 + 5.33(nTa)
2
- .21(nRH)
2
Note: Environment variables normalized
Keystrokes
Keystrokes
Dependent Variable: Keystrokes
95% Confidence Interval
Parameter B
Std.
Error t Sig.
Lower
Bound
Upper
Bound
Intercept 204.522 5.411 37.798 .000 193.913 215.131
Light (nL) 2.446 .348 7.029 .000 1.764 3.128
Temperature (nTaC) 33.087 5.444 6.078 .000 22.413 43.761
Temperature
2
19.306 4.373 4.415 .000 10.732 27.879
Keystrokes=204.52 + 2.45(nL)+ 33.09(nTa) + 19.31(nTa)
2
Note: Environment variables normalized
Error Keys
Error Keys
Dependent Variable: Error Keys
95% Confidence Interval
Parameter B
Std.
Error t Sig.
Lower
Bound
Upper
Bound
Intercept 48.584 1.128 43.058 .000 46.371 50.796
Temperature (nTaC) -3.694 .937 -3.941 .000 -5.531 -1.856
RH (nRH) .525 .188 2.800 .005 .157 .893
Light (nL) .716 .059 12.165 .000 .600 .831
Temperature
2
2.021 .743 2.722 .007 .565 3.477
RH
2
-.082 .032 -2.515 .012 -.145 -.018
Errors=48.58 3.69(nTa)+.53 (nRH)+.72 (nL) + 2.02 (nTa)
2
- .08 (RH)
2
Note: Environment variables normalized
Temperature and Performance
Temperature and Performance
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
20.6 21.0 21.3 21.7 22.1 22.5 22.9 23.2 23.6 24.0 24.4 24.8
Air Temperature (deg.C)
P
e
r
c
e
n
t
Keying
Errors
Temperature and Cost
Temperature and Cost

Assumptions:
Assumptions:
Employee earns Employee earns
$16 per hour $16 per hour
Keying time = Keying time =
900 900- -mouse time mouse time
seconds seconds
Total keys = Total keys =
correct + error correct + error
keys keys
Cost/key = keying Cost/key = keying
time/total keys time/total keys
Error costs = error Error costs = error
keys X costs per keys X costs per
key key
Hourly costs = 4 x Hourly costs = 4 x
error costs
Esti mated Keyi ng Error Costs per Hour
(assuming $16/hr wage)
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
20.6 21.0 21.3 21.7 22.1 22.5 22.9 23.2 23.6 24.0 24.4 24.8
Air Temperature (deg. C)
L
o
s
t

D
o
l
l
a
r
s
error costs
Research Conclusions
Research Conclusions

Results show clear associations between office work

Results show clear associations between office work
performance and indoor environment conditions
performance and indoor environment conditions

Results suggest that performance improves as

Results suggest that performance improves as
conditions approach a predicted thermal comfort zone
conditions approach a predicted thermal comfort zone

Raising temperature from 20

Raising temperature from 20

C
C
to 25
to 25

C:
C:
Reduces energy consumption (less cooling) Reduces energy consumption (less cooling)
Reduces costs Reduces costs
Reduces errors by 44% Reduces errors by 44%
Increases keying output by 150% Increases keying output by 150%
Saves ~$2.00 per worker in lost productivity Saves ~$2.00 per worker in lost productivity

With optimization of other environmental conditions the

With optimization of other environmental conditions the
cost savings will be even greater!
cost savings will be even greater!
Research Conclusions
Research Conclusions

Study confirms the utility of this new metric for

Study confirms the utility of this new metric for
assessing the performance and financial impacts of
assessing the performance and financial impacts of
IEQ changes.
IEQ changes.

Associations between changes in specific indoor

Associations between changes in specific indoor
environmental variables and consequent
environmental variables and consequent
productivity changes can now be investigated.
productivity changes can now be investigated.

The impact of IEQ changes (e.g. different lighting,

The impact of IEQ changes (e.g. different lighting,
different HVAC systems) on productivity can now be
different HVAC systems) on productivity can now be
tested.
tested.

The impact of any ergonomic changes (e.g. new

The impact of any ergonomic changes (e.g. new
chairs, new workstations, keyboard trays) on
chairs, new workstations, keyboard trays) on
productivity can now be tested.
productivity can now be tested.

Data for IEQ standards that can incorporate

Data for IEQ standards that can incorporate
productivity impacts can now be gathered.
productivity impacts can now be gathered.
Questions
Questions