Well Well Well is Seattle Met’s regular health and wellness column, covering the sometimes surprising ways we can support our physical, emotional, social, and environmental well-being.

Back in my early 20s, I worked a part-time job as a proofreader at a small company. My coworkers were lovely and the work was interesting, but what I mostly remember is that it was the middle of the summer in balmy Dallas, and I felt like a human popsicle.

The thermostat in my office was controlled by a man whose metabolic rate was clearly much different than mine. I bundled up in sweaters and blankets and periodically warmed my hands, willing them to keep hitting the keyboard.

It turns out this is not an unusual experience. Many public and office spaces are set to temperatures that were researched in the 1960s, based on the optimal thermal comfort of men wearing suits.

And this is just one of many factors Seattle-based sustainability consultant Nicole DeNamur keeps in mind when advising companies on how to address inequities in their office spaces. A lawyer who once specialized in construction litigation, DeNamur now uses all that expertise to try to make buildings healthier for their inhabitants.

“It’s neat to think about buildings as tools to deliver health and wellness benefits, especially for companies asking employees to come back to the office,” DeNamur says. “It’s not just about bells and whistles, but if something like the air quality is improved, that really demonstrates to employees that the company cares. The research is also clear that healthier buildings can benefit the bottom line.”

Air quality is particularly important, given that we spend about 90 percent of our time indoors. As building design has improved, with better insulation and less drafts, that’s led to a bit of a catch-22, trapping pollutants inside.

One study put the decision-making performance of 24 information workers—including architects, programmers, engineers, and marketing professionals—to the test in a variety of environments: a conventional office space, one with lower levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and one where the VOCs were lowered and the ventilation was enhanced. The participants’ cognitive performance scores skyrocketed in the greener environments, with the largest improvement in crisis response, strategy, and information usage. 

“Who doesn’t want their employees to do better on all those aspects?” says DeNamur, who adds that there are some low-lift improvements companies can make to increase air quality quickly.

Can an indoor space really be healthy? Probably not, says DeNamur—but it can absolutely be healthier. And not just physically, but mentally.

One of her favorite aspects to incorporate into buildings are biophilic design elements, a.k.a things that bring the outside inside. “All humans are innately drawn to nature,” she says. “This is why when people daydream, they look out a window. When you ask them about their last vacation, it usually has something to do with nature.”

Potted plants, green walls, natural daylight, and access to a deck can boost one’s mood a surprising amount. Even just the suggestion of nature can be helpful—in a place like a hospital, where getting outdoors might not be possible, elements like wallpaper with tree patterns, the sound of a fountain, and a giant photo of Mount Rainier can do the trick.

Office building Northlake Commons, on the north shores of Lake Union, takes biophilia seriously. Completed in early 2024 by Weber Thompson, the building features ample terrace and deck space, in addition to having operable windows to add fresh air and give occupants more control over their thermal environment. In selecting materials, timber was a natural choice. “That helps to reinforce our connection to nature, especially here in the Pacific Northwest, where it’s part of who we are,” says Cody Lodi, a design principal at Weber Thompson. “Even visually seeing wood grain or smelling wood can actually give you a health benefit.”

While office buildings were once often about fitting in as many people as possible, now there’s more of a focus on equity. This can be related to factors like access to transportation, acoustic levels, and, very often, bathrooms.

“You have no idea how much time I spend talking about bathrooms,” DeNamur says. Bathrooms are a hot topic in her world because they’re just one place where better design can improve the lives of those who work in or visit a particular building. (Want to see a good one? DeNamur recommends the bathrooms at Town Hall Seattle, renovated in 2019.) This is especially true for the trans community. The 2015 US Transgender Survey, the most recent one in which full statistics are available, found that 32 percent of respondents had limited the amount they ate and drank to avoid having to use the restroom in public. Eight percent suffered a kidney-related issue from not using the bathroom.

When designing a new building, Lodi of Weber Thompson says they have a visioning session with clients to imagine all the possible people who will be interacting with the spaces. They also try to keep the local community in mind. At Northlake Commons, the team worked with the Seattle Parks Department to create a public plaza along the Burke-Gilman Trail that includes tiered seating, a bike tire air station, and a water station. For commuters, there’s parking for more than 200 bikes, plus showers and locker rooms, to make it easy to get to the office without a car.  

"Your office space is a physical manifestation of your corporate values,” DeNamur says. “So the question then becomes: does your office space demonstrate to your employees that you value their safety, health, and wellness?”

Haley Shapley is the wellness columnist for Seattle Met. She’s the author of Strong Like Her: A Celebration of Rule Breakers, History Makers, and Unstoppable Athletes and the forthcoming Night Owl: Staying Up Late in a World Built for Early Birds.