Effects of Volume Ratio, Layout and Leave Size of Indoor Plants on Workers’ Attention Recovery in Factory Staff Break Area

Abstract

A more efficient attention recovery of workers during their break time is essential for achieving higher productivity and wellness. In recent years, the biophilic design that introduces indoor plants has become one of the solutions to these problems. This study aims to determine the impact factors and corresponding levels related to indoor planting design concerning workers’ attention recovery. Firstly, the volume ratio, layout, and leaf size of indoor plants and the corresponding levels were put forward by a focus group study with ten participants. Secondly, the orthogonal experiment method established nine virtual recovery scenarios based on characteristics extraction of staff break areas in the factory. Thirdly, eighteen participants were guided to feel fatigued by experiencing the sustained attention to response test to measure the baseline attention level of participants. Then, participants rested in the virtual scenarios. Lastly, the attention test was conducted again to observe participants’ attention recovery degree. The difference values of participants’ sensitivity, reaction times, and the number of correct responses between the two detection targets were applied to evaluate the attention recovery. Results showed that the volume ratio of indoor plants had the most significant effect on workers’ attention recovery; 3% by volume ratio, mixed floor and wall plants and floor planting with large leaves were demonstrated as the optimal indoor planting design for attention recovery.

Effect of Indoor Wall Wood Coverage on the Elderly Group—A Case Study of Activity Rooms in Old-Age Buildings

“…The process for the second set of scene experiments mirrored that of the first set. Participating in subsequent group tests required a rest period of at least 24 h. In order to prevent any undesirable effects resulting from the experience order, the order of scenes during the test was randomized [36]. After participants had completed all six scene experiments, the experimenter archived the experimental data.…”

“…Wood is a widely utilized material in architectural design due to its lightweight nature, high strength, carbon storage, and various other commendable qualities. Moreover, it significantly influences individuals' subjective assessment of their surroundings as it is associated with visual attributes such as naturalness, greenery, and warmth [34][35][36][37]. Masuda conducted an evaluative experiment involving diverse indoor wood coverage images and discovered that as the extent of wood coverage increased, people's positive descriptions of the indoor environment followed an inverted U-shaped pattern, initially escalating and subsequently declining [38].…”

“…The scene represents a cuboid measuring 10.8 m × 7.2 m × 3.9 m, which corresponds to one of the standard dimensions of the typical activity room found in old-age buildings in China. This dimension is also a multiple of the designated modular unit of 300 mm [36]. In order to ensure consistent evaluation results and minimize the potential impact of material and decoration variations, the floor was uniformly covered with warm gray tiles, while the ceiling was painted white.…”