Effects of building characteristics on self-reported productivity of office workers: the base study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of building characteristics on selfreportedproductivity using the Building Assessment Survey Evaluation (BASE) dataset. Ofthe respondents surveyed, 28% reported one or more lost workdays over the last month due tobuilding-related symptoms, and 40% reported reduced ability to work. Using generalizedestimating equations, we found significant negative adjusted associations for design space perworkstation (odds ratio (OR) = -0.01, 95% confidence interval (CI = -0.03, -0.002) andnumber of windows per occupant (OR = -0.26, CI = -0.46, -0.06) with reporting a reducedability to work on one or more days over the past month. For reporting one or more lostworkdays over the past month, we found a significant negative association for design spaceper workstation (OR = -0.01, CI = -0.02, -0.002) and a positive association for location onthe West Coast (OR = 0.21, CI = 0.03, 0.39). The negative associations observed indicate thatdecreases in space and windows per occupant are related to an increased likelihood of selfreportedproductivity decrements. We estimate that the cost of lost productivity due tobuilding-related symptoms in this dataset is $208 227 per building. These results underscorethe importance of space and lighting in office environments.