Biophilia is a growing and loosely defined topic within the smart workplace evolution. It relates to humans’ intrinsic need for nature but is often symbolized by the simple addition of indoor plants or photographs of nature on the walls, and therefore is often not given a significant amount of attention by facility management. However, the scientific evidence linking biophilic elements to worker productivity is growing and evolving, and biophilic theories are seeping into workplace design relatively unnoticed. Light has been a key pillar of biophilic theories to date. Proximity to windows and skylights for natural sunlight is a biophilic concept that has been adopted and developed by the lighting industry through artificial sunlight-mimicking human-centric lighting systems. Air quality, similarly, has been taken on by the environmental controls industry who seek to mimic the characteristics of air in natural environments, namely by raising oxygen levels in the workplace. Biophilia goes beyond access to light, better air, […]