Classrooms With Nature Views

Benfield, Jacob A.; Rainbolt, Gretchen Nurse; Bell, Paul A.; Donovan, Geoffrey H.

doi:10.1177/0013916513499583

Cited by 121 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In the built environment, providing a connection to nature positively impacts occupants' well-being [15,16] and satisfaction with a built space [17]. By reducing discomfort [18] and stress [19,20], biophilia thereby moderates the negative impact of job stress, which could otherwise lead to an increased probability of leaving one's job [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of a view from a window on thermal comfort, emotion, and cognitive performance

Schiavon

Zhang

et al. 2020

Building and Environment

186

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Visual connection to nature has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on attention restoration, stress reduction, and overall health and well-being. Inside buildings, windows are the primary means of providing a connection to the outdoors, and nature views even through a window may have similar effects on the occupants. Given that humans recognize environments through multi-sensory integration, a window view may also affect occupants' thermal perception. We assessed the influence of having a window with a view on thermal and emotional responses as well as on cognitive performance. We conducted a randomized crossover laboratory experiment with 86 participants, in spaces with and without windows. The chamber kept the air and window surface temperature at 28 °C, a slightly warm condition. The outcome measures consisted of subjective evaluations (e.g., thermal perception, emotion), skin temperature measurements and cognitive performance tests. In the space with versus without windows, the thermal sensation was significantly cooler (0.3 thermal sensation vote; equivalent to 0.74 °C lower), and 12 % more participants were thermally comfortable. Positive emotions (e.g., happy, satisfied) were higher and negative emotions (e.g., sad, drowsy) were lower for the participants in the window versus the windowless condition. Working memory and the ability to concentrate were higher for participants in the space with versus without windows, but there were no significant differences in short-term memory, planning, and creativity performance. Considering the multiple effects of window access, providing a window with a view in a workplace is important for the comfort, emotion, and working memory and concentration of occupants.factors that may differ when there are simultaneous inputs from other sensory systems (e.g., auditory, visual, tactile). Therefore, we must consider the possible interactions between visual and thermal perceptions. Ignoring the possible connections between these sensory systems could lead to ineffective design that could result in occupant discomfort or decreased performance, or even building performance issues such as energy waste.While it is not known conclusively whether occupants' thermal responses differ when there is visual connection to the outdoors, there is some prior research that suggests this could be important. Some evidence shows that a visual connection to the outdoors can have a positive impact on the occupants' overall perceptions of the built environment, leading to flexibility in their expectations [28]. For instance, if we take this general concept and hypothesize that having a view to the outdoors could help occupants increase their satisfaction with a wider indoor temperature range, then we could relax the temperature setpoints, which would then allow a reduction in building energy consumption [29][30][31][32]. A reasonable amount of variability in the acceptable range may even be preferable for occupants [3,14]. For designers, it would be important to define the relevant parameter...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of a view from a window on thermal comfort, emotion, and cognitive performance

Schiavon

Zhang

et al. 2020

Building and Environment

186

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“…This fact may foster a culture in which life-based learning is a must and encourage positive social interaction [26]. Landscape views and walls with living plants are correlated with better academic results [27,28] and may reduce stress [29], whilst increasing learners' attention, interest and enjoyment in learning, and providing a more cooperative context for learning [30].Thermal comfort is related to thermal level and ventilation. High levels of temperature are related to an alteration in wellbeing, social relations and performance [31], depending on the task type [32,33].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Architectural Indoor Analysis: A Holistic Approach to Understand the Relation of Higher Education Classrooms and Academic Performance

2019

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The influence of learning space on users has been broadly accepted and tested. However, the literature has focused on single factor research, instead of holistic approaches. Additionally, lower educational levels have been the focus of interest, while higher education is moving towards multi-method teaching. This paper focuses on how learning spaces for different purposes (practice and lecture rooms) may influence academic performance from a holistic approach of learning physical environment perception. For this, the iPEP scale (Indoor physical environment perception) is used and validated through Cronbach Alpha and Exploratory Factorial Analysis. Then, multiple linear regression is conducted. The results indicate that iPEP measures near to 63 percent of the construct, which is structured in six factors. Moreover, linear regression analyses support previous literature concerning the influence of learning physical environment on academic performance (R 2 = 0.154). The differences obtained between practice and lecture room in terms of predictor variables bring to the light the need to diagnose learning environments before designing changes in educational buildings. This research provides a self-reported way to measure indoor environments, as well as evidence concerning the modern university, which desires to combine several teaching methods.These studies provide evidence that acoustic comfort is fundamental to support sustainable learning environments, which implement active pedagogies [15].Illumination combines artificial lighting and daylight to offer visual support and it influences visual perception, cognitive processing, behaviour, learning and academic performance [16][17][18]. Therefore, lighting design perspectives should be task-driven, as well as focusing on comfort to human health and perception [19]. Appropriate levels of visual comfort have been evidenced to improve social relations [20]. While daylight helps students to retain and learn information [21], long exposure to artificial lighting may cause stress and lead to irritability [22]. Buildings are highly artificial lighting dependent, as there was no concern about energy efficiency when educational facilities were designed, and nowadays represent a major factor of energy consumption.In traditional learning, the views through windows are considered as distractor, which may explain the lack of daylight through windows, despite its importance for children [23], who distinguish lighting requirements given the task performed. Nature inspires students through its aesthetic value and entails a restorative effect on the mind, which fosters concentration [24]. It stabilizes students' psychology and reduces their negative emotions [25], and leads to a proactive knowledge of the natural environment. This fact may foster a culture in which life-based learning is a must and encourage positive social interaction [26]. Landscape views and walls with living plants are correlated with better academic results [27,28] and may reduce stress [29], whilst increasing le...

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“…In academic settings, proximity to natural environments and classroom views to green space have been associated with positive cognitive development, attention, resilience in stress physiology, and academic performance [223,224,225,226,227]. These results hold for standardized testing even when SES is controlled [223,224].…”

Section: Natural Environments Missing Exposures Exaggerate Dispamentioning

confidence: 99%

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

Prescott

Logan²

2016

IJERPH

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The influential scientist Rene J. Dubos (1901–1982) conducted groundbreaking studies concerning early-life environmental exposures (e.g., diet, social interactions, commensal microbiota, housing conditions) and adult disease. However, Dubos looked beyond the scientific focus on disease, arguing that “mere survival is not enough”. He defined mental health as fulfilling human potential, and expressed concerns about urbanization occurring in tandem with disappearing access to natural environments (and elements found within them); thus modernity could interfere with health via “missing exposures”. With the advantage of emerging research involving green space, the microbiome, biodiversity and positive psychology, we discuss ecological justice in the dysbiosphere and the forces—financial inequity, voids in public policy, marketing and otherwise—that interfere with the fundamental rights of children to thrive in a healthy urban ecosystem and learn respect for the natural environment. We emphasize health within the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) rubric and suggest that greater focus on positive exposures might uncover mechanisms of resiliency that contribute to maximizing human potential. We will entrain our perspective to socioeconomic disadvantage in developed nations and what we have described as “grey space”; this is a mental as much as a physical environment, a space that serves to insidiously reinforce unhealthy behavior, compromise positive psychological outlook and, ultimately, trans-generational health. It is a dwelling place that cannot be fixed with encephalobiotics or the drug-class known as psychobiotics.

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Classrooms With Nature Views

Cited by 121 publications

References 26 publications

The impact of a view from a window on thermal comfort, emotion, and cognitive performance

The impact of a view from a window on thermal comfort, emotion, and cognitive performance

Architectural Indoor Analysis: A Holistic Approach to Understand the Relation of Higher Education Classrooms and Academic Performance

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

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