Triple Bottom Line Company

Biofilic, LLC  is a Triple-Bottom-Line company.  in other words, we are in business to make a profit; but not at the expense of the environment, our people, or society.  We believe, if we can walk this talk, then our company will be sustainable.  We will strive to evaluate all business decisions considering: 1) making money, 2) it's impact on the environment, 3) it's impact on our people and on society.   We want to be awesome to our customers, suppliers, and lenders.  Our whole business is about restoring our innate connection to nature in the built environment and the health and the wealth this affords.  We always welcome your comments and thoughts on both what we've done right and what we could do better.

Interesting Links International Green Roof Activities

The International Green Roof Association (IGRA) offers the platform for the worldwide promotion and dissemination of ecological Green Roof ideas.

Greenroofs.com is the international Green Roof industry’s resource and online information portal

Research Journal Club for Biophilic Design and Evidence Based Design

Roger Ulrich's Science article in 1984 entitled "View through a window" marked the introduction of peer-reviewed science linking biophilic-elements of design to clinical outcomes.  In 1998 there were about 85 studies published, now a literature search shows Roger's 1984 study has been cited 1013 times.  Now there are a number of scientific journals publishing articles on biophilic design and evidence based design.  Here are a few:  Health Environments Research & Design Journal (HERD), Environment and Behavior, New England Journal of Medicine, Science, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Preventive Medicine, Children's Environments Quarterly.  The list is really much larger.

I am proposing a Journal Club to discuss the articles on a regular basis.  We not only to understand the science behind the findings, but also how to interpret the results in a practical way for design, and to understand the return on investment (ROI).

Architects, Health Care Workers, Hospital Administrators, Loft Developers, Schools, Mom's and Building Owners -- Will you join us?

Preferred Place

Residential Real Estate has taught us that when money is not limiting, people choose to buy a nicely landscaped home up on a hill looking down at water surrounded by trees. Really, we shouldn’t be surprised when there are reports of loft buildings with accessible green roofs filling up faster and maintaining higher occupancy than the typical urban lofts. The opportunity for more communal living activities is a common response to “why do you like the green roof on your building”? Think of the ROI enjoyed by building owners with green roofs who like 909 Walnut in Kansas City, MO enjoy a 90% occupancy in a 75% market!

People who work in biophilic buildings have reported higher job satisfaction, lower job stress, less sick days, and pride in their workplace for the building and the environmental message it conveys. How much are these factors worth to your business? We hope to continually build the evidence for the immediate ROI of investing in green. We need your help to bring all the evidence to this site. Will you join us?

Childrens Attention & Learning

Though much of the evidence is anecdotal observation, we cannot afford to ignore the possibility that nature can do as much or more than therapy to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Richard Louv believes that lack of contact with nature may be responsible for the dramatic rise in ADHD in recent years. Several studies have shown a correlation between outdoor views and performance in schools. Does this not make a more compelling case for bringing green roofs and other aspects of Biophilic Design to schools?

What do you think?

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
Richard Louv Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2006. ISBN: 9781565125223.


Wells, Nancy. M. 2000. At Home with Nature: Effects of “Greenness” on Children’s Cognitive Functioning. Environment and Behavior (32)6 775-795.

Biomimicry

Ventilation principles from termite mounds that naturally cool buildings without air conditioning, super tape developed by studying geckos, and a company’s transformation inspired from mountains are examples of the fountain of profitable innovation possible when we restore our connection with nature! What inspires you? What if scientists and engineers could take a break with nature and come back with a solution?

If you have examples, or a story of your own please share on our blog.

Neighborliness

Twenty eight high rise low income housing buildings in Chicago demonstrate the strong calming effect of nature contact. Half of the buildings had landscaping and access to green space and half did not. Tenants were randomly assigned to one or the other based on availability. After 5 years , there were significantly less domestic and property violence and more communal relationships in the apartments with access to green space. Residents of lofts with a green roof in Kansas City site the communal living opportunities as one reason for their preference that results in a higher occupancy (90% in a 73% market).