Good air quality increases performance in the office.

According to Harvard researchers, who published the study on Environmental Health Perspective, people who work in well aerated premises, with low CO2 and indoor pollution levels, achieve better scores in cognitive functions compared to people whose offices are less green, with pollution and CO2 levels considered to be standard. The researchers focused on the impact of room ventilation, chemicals and CO2 on workers’ cognitive functions by exposing 24 workers to different levels of CO2, ventilation and VOC concentrations, commonly emitted in offices. Participants exposed to premises with the best air quality, achieved on average double scores in cognitive performance compared to those who worked in conventional premises. The researchers also underline the impact of CO2 levels: the average score drops when the CO2 level increases. “These results point to the fact that even modest improvements in the quality of indoor air might have a deep impact on workers’ decision-making performance,” said Joseph Allen of Harvard University, the main author of the study.

According to Harvard researchers, who published the study on Environmental Health Perspective, people who work in well aerated premises, with low CO2 and indoor pollution levels, achieve better scores in cognitive functions compared to people whose offices are less green, with pollution and CO2 levels considered to be standard. 

The researchers focused on the impact of room ventilation, chemicals and CO2 on workers’ cognitive functions by exposing 24 workers to different levels of CO2, ventilation and VOC concentrations, commonly emitted in offices. Participants exposed to premises with the best air quality, achieved on average double scores in cognitive performance compared to those who worked in conventional premises.

The researchers also underline the impact of CO2 levels: the average score drops when the CO2 level increases. “These results point to the fact that even modest improvements in the quality of indoor air might have a deep impact on workers’ decision-making performance,” said Joseph Allen of Harvard University, the main author of the study.