Singapore: Researchers at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), in collaboration with Camfil, a global manufacturer of air filters, have found that office air quality has a big impact on creativity.
The study found that when people were required to build 3D models out of LEGO bricks, high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are gases released from items like paint, aerosol sprays, detergents, pesticides, and perfumes, hurt their creativity.
The NTU team conducted a statistical analysis and found that a 72 percent reduction in total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) may enhance an individual’s creative potential by 12 percent.
The term “TVOC” refers to the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air, typically emitted by household goods, interior design materials, and other sources.
This research on the NTU Smart Campus, is a component of a larger collaboration between Camfil and the University.
This partnership seeks to assess air filter technologies in tropical climates, investigate the effects of indoor air quality on adult cognitive performance, and create creative, low-energy clean air solutions.
“While most people would correctly associate indoor air quality with effects on the lungs, especially since we just emerged from a pandemic, our study shows that it could also have an impact on the mind and creative cognition, or the ability to use knowledge in an unconventional way,” Professor Ng Bing Feng, one of the research lead.
“Our findings suggest that relatively low TVOC levels, even if well within the accepted threshold, could impact an individual’s creative potential,” Professor Feng added.
The findings highlight the significance of preserving healthy indoor environments in workplaces and other settings by pointing to a noteworthy relationship between air quality and cognitive functions, particularly creativity.
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