What is Biophilic Design?
Biophilic design stems from the psychological theory, biophilia, which refers to the innate connection to nature. Biophilic design is the practice of connecting people and nature within our built environments and communities. It is a design strategy that closes the gap between time spent within the built environment and time available to connect with nature.
Biophilic Design in the Built Environment
Biophilic design is applicable to all types of buildings: commercial, schools, hospitals, airports, hotels, residential, etc. The aim is to improve an occupant’s experience within these spaces while satiating the recommended daily connection to nature. Green building certifications increasing demands represent a powerful motivator to prioritize implementing biophilic design within a project’s sustainability strategies in order to achieve credit requirements and earn projects additional points towards their certification.
Biophilic design is often brought into spaces through design elements that fall under Stephen Kellert’s six principles of biophilic design [1].
- Biophilic design requires repeated and sustained engagement with nature.
- Biophilic design focuses on human adaptations to the natural world that, over evolutionary time, have advanced people’s health, fitness, and well-being.
- Biophilic design encourages an emotional attachment to particular settings and places.
- Biophilic design promotes positive interactions between people and nature that encourage an expanded sense of relationship and responsibility for the human and natural communities.
- Biophilic design encourages mutually reinforcing, interconnected, and integrated architectural solutions. (Kellert, Heerwagen, & Mador, 2008)
Kellert’s six principles can be represented by including design elements from the following three categories: direct nature, natural patterns or place, and culture. These categories make up the basics of the Biophilic Design Toolkit. Understanding the elements that make up biophilic design paves the way for a successful project and gives project teams to earn additional points toward both LEED and WELL certifications.
Experience of Direct Nature
Biophilic design elements bring occupants direct experience with nature through various environmental features added to the built environment. These features elicit a sense of interaction with nature just by being within the built space that incorporates biophilic design. Examples of elements that highlight the experience of direct nature include the incorporation of plants, water features, natural landscapes, animals, and the presence of natural lighting.
Experience of Natural Patterns
Biophilic design elements bring in natural patterns. These elements can include images of nature, natural materials, patterns that mimic natural elements, colors, shapes, forms, and certain processes that parallel the natural world. Examples include natural wood, ceramic tiles, landscape art, woven patterns, stone walls, etc.
Experience of Place and Culture
Biophilic design elements elicit a sense of place and culture through design. These features can portray historical natural characteristics that have had a lasting impact on societal development. Examples include culturally significant textiles, symbols, local art, and place-specific architectural elements. Additionally, this category can include designing transitional spaces, implementing wayfinding techniques, and showcasing organized complexity.
Benefits of Biophilic Design
Biophilic design offers a wide range of benefits for building occupants of a project that has implemented the design features that fall under the three categories of biophilic design. Biophilic design improves occupant health and well-being while creating indoor environments that elicit a sense of connection. Whether in the workplace, healthcare, education, or residential settings, these benefits can be seen across environmental, mental, and physical dimensions:
✔ Environmental Benefits
- Conservation: Fosters occupants’ connection to nature, encouraging environmental responsibility.
- Sustainability: Encourages architectural solutions that interconnect with green building certifications.
- Energy Use Reduction: Implementing more natural light means a decreased need for artificial light.
✔ Mental Benefits
- Stress Reduction: Interaction with nature reduces stress.
- Enhanced Productivity: Presence of nature within the workplace increases productivity.
✔ Physical Benefits
- Increased Movement: Nature-integrated spaces naturally promote physical activity and engagement.
- Improved Air Quality: Plants and other natural elements contribute to cleaner indoor air, supporting respiratory health.
Strategy for Green Building Certifications
Both the LEED and WELL certifications offer opportunities to earn points towards certification with the implementation of biophilic design elements.
Biophilic Design in LEED V4 and V4.1
Innovation: Designing with Nature, Biophilic Design for the Indoor Environment [2]
Intent: To support and improve human health, well-being, and productivity by incorporating elements of nature in the indoor environment. For an additional point, you can incorporate at least five additional biophilic strategies, either indoor or outdoor.
Requirement: Engage in the exploration of the biophilic design potential for the project and implement a minimum of five design strategies that incorporate biophilic design elements.
Biophilic Design in LEED V5
IEQ Credit Occupant Experience Option 1 Indoor Biophilic Design [3]
Intent: To move beyond neutral spaces toward customization, joy, and belonging, catalyzing emotional connections between people and the building to increase the likelihood of consistent satisfaction and ongoing stewardship.
Option 1 Indoor Biophilic Design: Integrate Biophilic Design that demonstrates the five principles adapted from The Practice of Biophilic Design by Kellert and Calabrese.
IEQ Credit Accessibility and Inclusion [4]
Intent: To support the diverse needs of occupants and increase widespread usability of the building to foster individual and collective sense of belonging.
Accessibility for social Health: one option is to achieve at least one point under EQ: Occupant Experience, Option 1 Biophilic Environments.
Biophilic Design in WELL V2 Standard
MIND M09 Enhanced Access to Nature [5]
Gives specifications of what percentage of workstations on each floor of the project should have direct views of indoor plants, natural landscape, or indoor water feature(s).
MIND M07 Restorative Spaces [5]
Adopting a multi-sensory design covering lighting, sound, thermal comfort, seating, biophilia and calming colors, textures, and forms.
MOVEMENT V05.2 Pedestrian-friendly environment [5]
Exterior building wall facing the pedestrian network incorporates one or more design elements, one option is a biophilic design element.
LIGHT L03 Circadian Lighting Design [5]
Appropriate exposure to light for maintaining circadian health and aligning the circadian rhythm with the day-night cycle.
INNOVATION WELL Feature 87 Beauty and Design [5]
Create a physical space in which design principles align with an organization’s core cultural values can positively impact employees’ mood and morale. Integrating aesthetically pleasing elements into a space can help building occupants derive a measure of comfort or joy from their surroundings.
Enhance the Built Environment to Improve the Communities We Live In
Biophilic design isn’t just a trend – it’s a proven strategy to enhance occupants’ well-being, support sustainability goals, and earn points towards LEED and WELL certifications. Whether you’re planning a workplace, healthcare facility, school, or residential building, our team can help you bring nature into your space in meaningful, measurable ways. Together, we’ll create environments that are healthier, more sustainable, and deeply connected to the communities they serve.
Reach out today to learn how biophilic strategies can add value to your next project.
[1] Kellert, S. R., Heerwagen, J., & Mador, M. (Eds.). (2008). Biophilic design: The theory, science and practice of bringing buildings to life. Wiley.
[2] U.S. Green Building Council. (n.d.). Designing with Nature: Biophilic Design for the Indoor Environment.
[3] U.S. Green Building Council. (n.d.). Occupant Experience (EQc2).
[4] U.S. Green Building Council. (n.d.). Accessibility and Inclusion (EQc3).
[5] International WELL Building Institute. (n.d.). WELL v2 overview.
