Page 29 - InnoRenew CoE International Conference 2020, Integrating Sustainability and Health in Buildings
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chophysiological and attention restoration in a wooden office: A pilot study
Dean Lipovac1, Michael D. Burnard2
InnoRenew CoE & Andrej Marušič Institute, University of Primorska
1 dean.lipovac@innorenew.eu
2 mike.burnard@innorenew.eu
It has been shown that certain indicators of human stress can improve in interior spaces with
visible wood (e.g., Burnard and Kutnar, 2019). Due to the scarcity of studies, additional research
is needed to confirm and clarify current findings. Ideally, human stress responses in indoor
environments should be captured by combining measures of physiological arousal, affective
states, and cognitive performance (Parsons and Tassinary, 2002). However, it is challenging to
reliably elicit a stress response in humans and select appropriate measures and timing of their
administration. Additionally, because small effect sizes are expected, appropriate experimental
design and sample sizes are required.
The primary aim of this pilot study was to examine if a mental arithmetic task performed
before an evaluative audience can lead to a stress response and recovery that is reflected in the
selected measures of affective states (i.e., pleasure and arousal single-item scales), cognitive
performance (Attention Network Test; Weaver, Bédard, and McAuliffe, 2013), and electrodermal
and cardiovascular activity.
A convenience sample of 20 participants completed the study. After stress was induced in
subjects (five minutes), half of them relocated to a desk made of light wood and the other
half moved to a desk covered with a plain white cloth, where they rested for 10 minutes before
completing the cognitive task (five minutes). The physiological activity of the subjects was
measured continuously throughout the entire study protocol, while the affective states were
assessed twice, immediately after the stress-inducing activity and directly before completing the
cognitive task. The analysis of the results examines the suitability of the study protocol together
with the selected stress-inducing activity and measures capturing physiological, affective, and
cognitive performance outcomes. Recommendations for future studies are discussed based on
the findings.
Keywords: wood, restoration, cognitive performance, physiological arousal, affective states
Acknowledgements: The authors gratefully acknowledge the European Commission for funding
the InnoRenew project (Grant Agreement 739574) under the Horizon2020 Widespread-Teaming
program and the Republic of Slovenia (investment funding from the Republic of Slovenia and
the European Union's European Regional Development Fund).
REFERENCES
Burnard, M.D., Kutnar, A., 2019. Human stress responses in office-like environments with wood furniture. Build.
Res. Inf. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2019.1660609
Parsons, R., Tassinary, L.G., 2002. Environmental psychophysiology, in: Handbook of Envi-ronmental Psychology.
John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, pp. 172–190.
Weaver, B., Bédard, M., McAuliffe, J., 2013. Evaluation of a 10-minute version of the attention network test. Clin.
Neuropsychol. 27, 1281–1299. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2013.851741
INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH IN BUILDINGS THROUGH RENEWABLE MATERIALS
29
Dean Lipovac1, Michael D. Burnard2
InnoRenew CoE & Andrej Marušič Institute, University of Primorska
1 dean.lipovac@innorenew.eu
2 mike.burnard@innorenew.eu
It has been shown that certain indicators of human stress can improve in interior spaces with
visible wood (e.g., Burnard and Kutnar, 2019). Due to the scarcity of studies, additional research
is needed to confirm and clarify current findings. Ideally, human stress responses in indoor
environments should be captured by combining measures of physiological arousal, affective
states, and cognitive performance (Parsons and Tassinary, 2002). However, it is challenging to
reliably elicit a stress response in humans and select appropriate measures and timing of their
administration. Additionally, because small effect sizes are expected, appropriate experimental
design and sample sizes are required.
The primary aim of this pilot study was to examine if a mental arithmetic task performed
before an evaluative audience can lead to a stress response and recovery that is reflected in the
selected measures of affective states (i.e., pleasure and arousal single-item scales), cognitive
performance (Attention Network Test; Weaver, Bédard, and McAuliffe, 2013), and electrodermal
and cardiovascular activity.
A convenience sample of 20 participants completed the study. After stress was induced in
subjects (five minutes), half of them relocated to a desk made of light wood and the other
half moved to a desk covered with a plain white cloth, where they rested for 10 minutes before
completing the cognitive task (five minutes). The physiological activity of the subjects was
measured continuously throughout the entire study protocol, while the affective states were
assessed twice, immediately after the stress-inducing activity and directly before completing the
cognitive task. The analysis of the results examines the suitability of the study protocol together
with the selected stress-inducing activity and measures capturing physiological, affective, and
cognitive performance outcomes. Recommendations for future studies are discussed based on
the findings.
Keywords: wood, restoration, cognitive performance, physiological arousal, affective states
Acknowledgements: The authors gratefully acknowledge the European Commission for funding
the InnoRenew project (Grant Agreement 739574) under the Horizon2020 Widespread-Teaming
program and the Republic of Slovenia (investment funding from the Republic of Slovenia and
the European Union's European Regional Development Fund).
REFERENCES
Burnard, M.D., Kutnar, A., 2019. Human stress responses in office-like environments with wood furniture. Build.
Res. Inf. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2019.1660609
Parsons, R., Tassinary, L.G., 2002. Environmental psychophysiology, in: Handbook of Envi-ronmental Psychology.
John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, pp. 172–190.
Weaver, B., Bédard, M., McAuliffe, J., 2013. Evaluation of a 10-minute version of the attention network test. Clin.
Neuropsychol. 27, 1281–1299. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2013.851741
INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH IN BUILDINGS THROUGH RENEWABLE MATERIALS
29
