A low-quality working environment is affected by discomfort, diseases and poor performance in employees. Quality lighting is capable of increasing employee productivity by up to 23%.[1] Apart from lighting, there are some other environmental factors that are effective on working health and comfort. For example, indoor temperature and the height of relative humidity are associated with sneezing, redness of the skin, itching in the eyes, headaches and eye fatigue. In cases where the temperature is not controlled to the extent necessary, too hot in the offices leads to a 6% decrease in employee performance and a 4% decrease in over-cold.[2] In addition, distracting noises reduce employee performance by[3] up to 66%, while it can take an average of 25 minutes to refopense on work after such a distraction.[4]
New sensor packages that can measure data such as room utilization rate, number of people, temperature (room temperature and table level), noise levels, daylight levels, humidity, and bluetooth connectivity offer location and navigation features in the interior. The collection and delivery of these detection capabilities in a single unit eliminates the need to use multiple sensors and significantly reduces costs for businesses. Changing the experience of working in the office helps create a healthier working environment and reduce absenteeism among employees.
Smaller than a matchbox, the new sensors can be easily installed thanks to the sensor slot, which allows the existing sensor to be replaced with a button and is unique to Philips professional office fixtures. Thanks to the fact that the sensors can be installed from the front of the fixture, there is no need to lower the fixtures from the ceiling during installation. Developed with the needs of the future in mind, this solution allows the user to install a different sensor in the fixtures at any time. This gives businesses the flexibility to take advantage of future innovations or, for example, provide the functionality a new tenant needs.
EDGE, an OVG Real Estate company, is also among signify customers. EDGE is a company that prioritizes health, sustainability, design and technology in all the structures it develops, including its own office building. EDGE CTO Erik Ubels, who said edge works in collaboration with Signify, from the example of disruptive technology installed in its office building, The Edge, that provides power over ethernet, to the lighting infrastructure implemented at EDGE Olympic Amsterdam, said of the new sensors, "Highly precise localization and high-level human counting enable us to maximize user experience and facility management in our buildings. The new environmental monitoring capability also contributes even more to the health of our employees."
The new Philips sensor packages for Interact Office will be released in May.
- [1] Source: Loftness et al. 2003
- [2] Source: Lan L. Wargocki P. Wyon DP. Lian Z. (2011) Effects of thermal discomfort in an office on perceived air quality, SBS symptoms, physiological responses, and human performance. Indoor Air 21:5, p.m. 376-90
- [3] Source: Lan L. Wargocki P. Wyon DP. Lian Z. (2011) Effects of thermal discomfort in an office on perceived air quality, SBS symptoms, physiological responses, and human performance. Indoor Air 21:5, p.m. 376-90
- [4] Source: 'The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress', Gloria Mark, Department of Informatics, University of California
