Designing a healthy working environment

From choosing the right colors, to the right lighting and soundscape, we’re here to help!

1– Color schemes

Choose a color and lighting scheme that will work with the mood you want to set.

Don’t be afraid to throw in pops of color to lift your mood or enhance creativity, or go for something more neutral for a more calming effect. Seeking routine and focus? Try ‘Midnight’. Wanting something more invoking? Try ‘Berry’.

Light Reflectance Values (LRV) are also helpful in determining which color scheme will best work in your work setting, depending on how much natural or artificial light your room receives. LRV measures the percentage of light that is reflected from a surface, often used to show the light and bright level of a color. Measured on a scale of 0-100 – where black is 0 and white is 100 – the higher the number, the more light that color reflects. Choosing a color with a higher LRV can therefore help to balance a space with limited lighting – and vice versa.

We’ve tested the LRV of each of our FilaSorb™ colors, to ensure you can select the optimal shades for your design projects.

DOWNLOAD LRV

2– Biophilic design

Exposure to nature is both psychologically and physiologically good for us, which is why we feel so much better when we have access to natural elements including sunlight, fresh air and plants. Here are some tips for bringing the outside into your workspace:

1. Buy a pot plant for your desk
   
2. Try to work in a spot that is exposed to natural sunlight
3. Surround yourself with natural textures of wood, cork and natural fabrics
4. Use artwork, wallpaper or panelling to incorporate outdoor prints and photography

3– Soundscaping

Whether you’re working from home or from the office, it’s important that you create the right soundscape. For collaborative tasks, you may want to work in an open plan space that encourages open communication, but ensure conversations aren’t distracting for others. For independent reading and writing tasks, you may want to look for a quieter, more private space.

For open-plan offices, installing acoustic panels on adjacent walls will assist with absorbing conversational sound at both sitting and standing levels.

For independent workstations, ceiling clouds can be used for targeted acoustic action. If you’re hot desking or working between home and office, a transportable desk divider may be more appropriate. 

4– Safe products

Here’s how you can ensure the materials in your workspace or workstation are made from safe, healthy and easy-to-clean materials.

1. Steer clear from products that may contain phenol, formaldehyde or high VOC’s – sometimes found in air fresheners, cleaning products and furniture. In furniture and building products, you can look out for ‘Declare’ labels on material transparency. Materials that are deemed ‘Red List Free’, like Acoufelt’s carpet tiles and FilaSorb™ acoustic panels, are guaranteed to be free from the ‘worst materials in the building industry’.
2. Check that the products around you have been tested for the requisite fire resistance for your building. If you’re ever unsure, you can email the manufacturer to request fire certification.
3. Go for products that are easy to clean, or better yet, have anti-microbial properties. The more breathable a material is, the less likely that it will hold moisture and harbour mould and mildew. Our carpet tiles are treated with antimicrobial solutions and have been tested against various strains of bacteria. They are also breathable, easy to clean, and fast drying.