We investigated the effects of improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on perceived health and productivity in occupants who moved from conventional to green (according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ratings) office buildings. In 2 retrospective-prospective case studies we found that improved IEQ contributed to reductions in perceived absenteeism and work hours affected by asthma, respiratory allergies, depression, and stress and to self-reported improvements in productivity. These preliminary findings indicate that green buildings may positively affect public health.

In the wake of sustainable construction entering the mainstream, many developing countries are either currently pursuing green building guidelines or are planning to pursue them in the near future. This research attempts to formulate an implementation strategy for the rapid adoption of these guidelines for the developing nations. This implementation strategy is based on the detailed review of the major green building guidelines globally and contextual information of Indian society collected through a survey questionnaire. The proposed strategy shows that it is important for green building initiatives to identify: the organizations that accelerate the adoption of green building guidelines in a society, the incentives and barriers associated with the green building guidelines, and the necessary motivations for the adopter organizations. An informed approach in the form of this implementation strategy might potentially contribute to the acceleration of green building guidelines' adoption in developing countries.

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