Where Technology and Human Needs are Guiding Design

Today, keeping a pulse on design trends means looking beyond color palettes and furniture designs. As technology continues to permeate interiors and with an increased demand for more human-centric environments, the architecture and design community must extend their knowledge of how to create more comfortable spaces. Once mostly driven by a functional and aesthetic approach, commercial building design must now pay greater attention to considerations related to human health and well-being, and to the changing needs of a new generation of workers.

Energy efficiency has long been a driver of building owners, with energy saving rebates and cost reductions leading the demand. For the last ten years, building owners have continued to implement more energy efficient solutions such as LED lighting, lighting control systems, Energy Star rated products, and more, not only as a cost-saving measure but as a way to attract tenants. A shift from maximizing energy efficiency to concentrating on how spaces are affecting human well-being is creating a new process for designing commercial offices. Organizations are leading the charge of future-proofing buildings and ensuring they protect their most valuable asset: their employees. By addressing the impact of the built environment on one’s health and well-being through design, organizations can achieve improved employee productivity, engagement, and retention, reduced absenteeism, and ultimately cost savings.