By Julia W.
File Under Office Space New Practice Growing Practice
Wellness spaces are evolving to prioritize health and environmental care. Here are the key trends shaping their design:
- Biophilic Design: Incorporating natural light, plants, and living walls to improve air quality, reduce stress, and enhance productivity.
- Reclaimed Materials: Using upcycled wood, concrete, and other materials to cut waste while adding character.
- Energy Efficiency: Smart layouts, advanced HVAC systems, and green roofs to lower energy use and improve comfort.
- Low-VOC Materials: Choosing paints, flooring, and adhesives that reduce indoor air pollution and support healthier environments.
- Shared Spaces: Flexible designs that promote collaboration, reduce resource use, and encourage community building.
These trends not only support personal well-being but also address global sustainability challenges. Whether it’s through natural elements, efficient systems, or eco-friendly materials, these designs create spaces that heal both people and the planet.
Designing Wellness: How Sustainable Interiors Transform the Way We Live Sarah Walker, Nuance Design
1. Biophilic Design Integration
Biophilic design focuses on bringing elements of nature indoors, fostering a stronger connection to the natural world. By weaving these principles into wellness spaces, we can improve both lighting and the integration of natural elements.
Studies back up the positive effects of biophilic design. For instance, research from the University of Melbourne revealed that adding plants to a dull office environment boosted productivity by 15%. Similarly, patients recovering from gallbladder surgery healed faster when exposed to views of nature – those with a tree view recovered in 7.4 days compared to 8.3 days for patients staring at a brick wall.
Natural Light as a Core Element
Natural light plays a crucial role in biophilic spaces. Thoughtful window placement, skylights, and reflective surfaces can amplify natural light, cutting down energy usage. In fact, natural lighting can reduce energy costs by as much as 50% to 80%. This is especially impactful since lighting alone accounts for nearly 15% of electricity use in commercial buildings.
Incorporating Living Elements
Indoor plants and living walls do more than just beautify a space – they also improve air quality by filtering out toxins and volatile organic compounds. The benefits extend to well-being and productivity, with studies showing that adding plants to workspaces can increase well-being by 47%, creativity by 45%, and productivity by 38%.
Creating Multi-Sensory Experiences
Biophilic design engages more than just sight. Incorporating water features, natural materials like wood and stone, and abundant daylight creates a multi-sensory connection to nature. Architect Dima Stouhi highlights the versatility of natural materials:
"When it comes to functionality, wood can be applied in all types of interior spaces (offices, hotels, restaurants, and houses) and still provide the same visual and emotional connection with nature. Oftentimes, architects combine wood with greenery and an abundance of natural daylight to create a rich biophilic design palette that promotes well-being."
Energy Efficiency with Natural Elements
Biophilic design isn’t just about aesthetics – it can also lead to significant energy savings. Green roofs, vertical gardens, and passive solar strategies help regulate indoor temperatures, reducing the need for excessive heating or cooling. Green walls, for instance, act as natural insulators, while features like rainwater collection systems and natural ventilation further minimize environmental impact.
The 14 patterns of biophilic design offer a structured approach to implementation, ranging from visual connections with nature to creating spaces that balance open views (prospect) with cozy, sheltered areas (refuge). Together, these patterns help reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and enhance emotional well-being.
2. Upcycled and Reclaimed Materials
The construction industry is responsible for about 40% of global waste, which makes using upcycled and reclaimed materials an important step toward creating more sustainable wellness spaces. These materials not only reduce waste but also bring character and individuality to wellness environments. Much like biophilic design that integrates natural elements, upcycled materials align wellness spaces with eco-conscious practices.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
Upcycling transforms waste into useful building materials, cutting down on carbon emissions and energy consumption. Take Kenoteq‘s K-Briqs, for example – constructed from 90% construction waste, they provide excellent insulation while producing just one-tenth of the carbon emissions of traditional bricks.
There’s also a financial upside. Using recycled concrete can slash carbon emissions by as much as 50% compared to traditional concrete production, while also lowering material costs and reducing waste disposal fees. Reclaimed wood, which accounted for 12.2 million tons of landfill waste in 2018 (8.3% of total landfill waste), becomes a valuable resource when repurposed instead of discarded.
Superior Performance Characteristics
Reclaimed wood often outperforms freshly milled timber. It’s more durable and stable, sometimes scoring up to 40 points higher on the Janka scale – a measure of hardness – making it particularly well-suited for high-traffic wellness spaces.
Real-World Applications in Wellness Design
Several cutting-edge projects demonstrate how upcycled materials can enhance both environmental sustainability and therapeutic benefits in wellness spaces. For instance, RJDL (Rahul Jain Design Lab) repurposed a 40-foot shipping container to create Café Infinity. This project features energy-efficient Rockwool insulation and passive cooling methods, which are directly applicable to therapy and wellness spaces.
In Kerala, India, Canaan House showcases the potential of salvaged materials, utilizing 90% reclaimed components such as bricks, beer bottles, old doors, and windows to create a comfortable and functional living space. Similarly, the Zero Waste Bistro, designed by Linda Bergroth, uses walls made from recycled Tetra Packs by The ReWall Company and features entirely upcycled furniture and interiors.
Sourcing and Implementation Best Practices
When sourcing reclaimed materials, look for certifications like FSC to ensure sustainability. Use wood from trusted suppliers, locally quarried stone, and certified low-VOC paints to minimize emissions and maintain healthy indoor air quality.
Creating Unique Therapeutic Environments
Reclaimed timber, with its rich textures and patterns, can create a warm and inviting atmosphere that enhances client comfort. This natural aesthetic supports holistic well-being and adds a sense of authenticity to wellness spaces.
For wellness professionals planning to design or renovate their spaces, incorporating upcycled and reclaimed materials is a meaningful way to connect their physical environment with a commitment to holistic health and environmental care. These choices also open doors to energy-efficient layouts and systems that further promote sustainability.
3. Energy-Efficient Layouts and Systems
Smart planning and efficient systems can significantly cut energy use while creating healthier spaces for wellness practices. With heating and cooling responsible for about 48% of the average annual energy use in U.S. households, optimizing these systems is key to designing sustainable wellness environments. This begins with thoughtful layouts and extends to every system within the building.
Strategic Layout Planning for Efficiency
Energy-efficient design starts with understanding how spaces are actually used. Tools like real-time occupancy tracking, AI-driven analytics, and predictive space modeling allow for layouts that adapt to user needs. For therapy and wellness spaces, this means creating flexible designs that accommodate different treatment approaches without sacrificing energy performance.
Advanced HVAC and Air Quality Solutions
Efficient layouts do more than save energy – they also create spaces that support healing and comfort. For instance, demand control ventilation (DCV) adjusts fresh air intake based on CO₂ levels, reducing energy use while maintaining air quality. Similarly, building management systems (BMS) can strategically adjust temperatures, cutting energy use by 5.5% while keeping spaces comfortable.
Humidity control also plays a dual role in energy efficiency and health. Research shows that students in humidified classrooms experienced 2.3 times fewer absences due to influenza-like illnesses compared to those in non-humidified environments. Energy-efficient MERV 13 filters deliver near-100% fresh air performance while conserving energy, and advanced options like UVGI light and bipolar ionization further enhance air quality and pathogen control.
The Role of the Building Envelope
The building envelope – walls, windows, and insulation – has a major impact on energy efficiency. Properly insulated and sealed envelopes minimize heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, as thermal bridges can account for 10–40% of total heat loss. Innovative techniques like BamCore DuoShear technology improve thermal performance and acoustic insulation (27dB vs. 37dB with traditional methods), creating quieter and more therapeutic environments.
Health and Environmental Benefits
Energy-efficient designs offer more than just cost savings – they improve health outcomes. From 2000 to 2016, green building practices in the U.S. helped prevent 172–405 premature deaths, 171 hospital admissions, over 11,000 asthma exacerbations, and thousands of lost workdays.
"Our surroundings have a direct impact on our immune function, stress response, and overall well-being. The more we design our environments to align with natural patterns and human psychology, the better we can promote healing." – Dr. Esther Sternberg, Physician and Author of Healing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-Being
Patients in thoughtfully designed spaces benefit significantly. For example, spinal surgery patients in brighter rooms with natural sunlight needed 22% less pain medication, leading to a 21% reduction in medication costs.
Community Wellness Through Sustainable Design
Energy-efficient principles are essential for creating flexible, community-focused wellness spaces that deliver both performance and sustainability. For wellness professionals, understanding these principles is vital when choosing locations that align with their goals. Platforms like Humanly (https://behuman.ly) provide modern, energy-efficient therapy and wellness spaces, offering a balance between environmental responsibility and exceptional client care.
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4. Low-VOC and Non-Toxic Materials
In the move toward creating healthier and more sustainable wellness spaces, choosing low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) and non-toxic materials is a critical step. Indoor air in these environments can be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoor air, making material choices essential not just for sustainability but also for protecting client health.
Why Material Selection Matters
Many conventional building materials release harmful chemicals into the air, which can lead to issues like eye irritation, fatigue, and respiratory problems. In fact, domestic environments are responsible for 72% of exposure to hazardous air pollutants. On the other hand, improving indoor air quality can enhance productivity by 4% and boost cognitive function by as much as 61%. For wellness practitioners, this means better outcomes during therapy or wellness sessions.
Choosing the Right Materials
Flooring is one of the most impactful areas for reducing chemical emissions. Consider options like solid hardwood, formaldehyde-free bamboo, or cork flooring finished with water-based products. Ceramic tiles paired with non-toxic mortars and grouts are also excellent choices.
Wall finishes and adhesives are another key area to focus on. Low-VOC paints, adhesives, and finishes significantly cut down on indoor pollutants. Look for labels like ULEF (ultra-low emitting formaldehyde) or NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde), which reduce formaldehyde emissions by about 90% compared to traditional materials.
Certifications to Look For
To ensure the quality and safety of these materials, certifications like GREENGUARD and FSC can be invaluable. GREENGUARD Certified products, for example, are rigorously tested for low chemical emissions, offering an added layer of assurance for sensitive wellness environments.
"When choosing your flooring, it’s best to opt for the most natural materials and products for a non-toxic home that is safe for pets and children." – Atkinson & Kirby
Benefits Beyond Health
The advantages of these material choices extend beyond improving air quality. The construction industry is responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions, so selecting eco-friendly materials can significantly reduce environmental impact. Natural options like bamboo, cork, and wool not only limit chemical off-gassing but also enhance acoustics and regulate temperature, adding practical benefits to wellness spaces.
Making It Work in Practice
Proper installation is just as important as material selection. Ventilate spaces during and after installation to allow any residual chemicals to dissipate. For example, new carpets should be aired out in a ventilated area for at least a week before being installed.
For wellness professionals using adaptable spaces, such as those offered by Humanly (https://behuman.ly), understanding these standards is crucial. Modern wellness environments are increasingly adopting these sustainable practices, ensuring spaces that prioritize both health and environmental responsibility while supporting practitioner and client success.
5. Flexible, Community-Oriented Spaces
Shared wellness spaces designed with flexibility and community in mind are transforming how professionals work. These spaces not only make better use of resources but also encourage collaboration in ways that traditional single-use setups can’t match. By building on sustainable design principles, they deliver both environmental and operational advantages.
The Environmental Impact of Sharing
Coworking spaces have the potential to significantly reduce environmental impact. For example, shared infrastructures can lower energy use by nearly 30%, while strategically placing these spaces in urban areas can cut commuting emissions by 20–50%. Urban locations make it easier for professionals to walk, bike, or use public transportation, reducing the need for car travel and its associated emissions.
Smarter Resource Use
Shared spaces are designed to maximize efficiency. They often incorporate energy-saving technologies and adhere to certifications like LEED or WELL. This approach can lead to up to 20% less waste. In wellness-focused environments, this might mean shared supplies, communal equipment, and coordinated recycling initiatives – all of which help reduce individual consumption.
Features That Support Flexibility
The success of shared spaces often hinges on adaptable design. Take UNC’s Roper Hall, for instance: its group study rooms include movable partitions, writable surfaces, flexible furniture, and digital screens. Other key elements include sound-absorbing materials, natural ventilation, and advanced temperature controls, which balance privacy with opportunities for interaction.
Building Professional Communities
These spaces do more than just save resources – they foster a sense of community. By encouraging collaboration, they align with the broader goals of modern wellness design, which prioritizes holistic and sustainable practices. Professionals can exchange ideas, share eco-friendly strategies, and build meaningful connections that benefit both their work and personal growth.
"One of the most effective ways to foster community is by creating shared spaces where people can come together."
Such environments also open doors for cross-referrals, peer consultations, and collaborative care models, which can enhance outcomes for both practitioners and clients.
Economic and Branding Upsides
The financial perks of shared spaces go beyond cutting overhead costs. Companies working in these sustainable environments often enjoy a stronger reputation and attract clients and employees who value environmental responsibility. For wellness professionals, aligning their business practices with their clients’ values helps build trust and long-term relationships.
Practical Implementation
Making shared spaces work requires thoughtful planning. Digital tools can simplify scheduling and resource management, reducing the need for physical paperwork. Clear policies for shared equipment and regular upkeep of communal areas ensure these spaces remain functional and welcoming.
Platforms like Humanly (https://behuman.ly) illustrate how this concept works in practice. They offer on-demand, fully equipped wellness spaces that can be rented by the hour, day, or month. These spaces are designed with modern layouts and essential utilities, while also fostering a collaborative professional community through networking events and referral systems.
Conclusion
Wellness spaces are undergoing a transformation, blending natural elements, reducing waste, and improving energy use. Biophilic design boosts productivity and mental clarity. Using upcycled and reclaimed materials not only addresses construction waste but also adds unique character to interiors. Energy-efficient layouts enhance building performance while lowering operational expenses. Meanwhile, low-VOC materials contribute to healthier indoor air, reducing allergies and creating safer environments for practitioners and clients alike. Additionally, flexible, community-focused spaces encourage collaboration and make the most of available resources.
These changes deliver clear benefits for both personal health and the planet. Incorporating natural elements and proper lighting can improve sleep and alleviate Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms. Eco-conscious furniture supports better posture, reduces physical strain, and creates inviting workspaces that enhance job satisfaction. On the environmental side, upcycling in construction and design can cut carbon emissions by as much as 60%.
The wellness economy, valued at approximately $5.6 trillion as of November 2023, reflects a growing emphasis on sustainability. Around 40% of millennials now consider a company’s sustainability efforts when choosing jobs, and clients increasingly demand transparency and eco-friendly options from their wellness providers. This alignment between environmental care and business goals highlights why these design trends are gaining traction.
You don’t need to revamp everything at once. Start small by letting in more natural light or adding greenery like indoor plants or living walls. Opt for sustainable furniture finished with low-VOC paints and adhesives. Use materials that mimic natural textures and incorporate designs that offer views of nature. Even these small steps can create wellness spaces that are sustainable, healthy, and efficient.
FAQs
How does biophilic design enhance well-being and productivity in wellness spaces?
The Role of Biophilic Design in Wellness Spaces
Biophilic design enhances well-being and productivity in wellness spaces by incorporating elements from nature, such as sunlight, greenery, water features, and natural materials. These additions create a soothing environment that helps lower stress levels, uplift mood, and encourage relaxation, all while promoting mental clarity.
Studies also suggest that being surrounded by natural elements can sharpen cognitive abilities, boost creativity, and improve focus. This makes wellness spaces more effective not just for clients seeking rejuvenation but also for professionals working in these settings. By creating an environment that feels both refreshing and inspiring, biophilic design turns wellness spaces into hubs of personal and professional development.
What are the benefits of incorporating upcycled and reclaimed materials in sustainable wellness spaces?
Using upcycled and reclaimed materials in wellness spaces comes with some amazing perks. For starters, these materials help preserve natural resources by giving a second life to items that might otherwise end up in landfills. This not only reduces waste but also lessens the need for extracting new raw materials, which can lower greenhouse gas emissions and support a cleaner, healthier planet.
On top of that, these materials often add a one-of-a-kind charm to a space. Their unique, handcrafted qualities can create a cozy, welcoming vibe while celebrating artisanal craftsmanship. Plus, they’re a smart choice for keeping manufacturing costs in check – all while encouraging more eco-friendly design practices.
What are some effective ways wellness professionals can create energy-efficient spaces that are sustainable and comfortable for clients?
Wellness professionals can design energy-conscious spaces by incorporating smart HVAC systems. These systems help maintain optimal temperature, ventilation, and humidity levels while keeping energy use in check. They adjust automatically to the current needs of the space, balancing efficiency with client comfort.
Another practical option is adding occupancy sensors and building automation systems. These tools manage lighting and climate based on how rooms are being used, cutting down on unnecessary energy use while still creating a warm, inviting atmosphere for clients. Prioritizing energy efficiency not only improves the client experience but also aligns with eco-friendly practices.