Can smart buildings increase productivity and also save money?

Smart buildings stand out from more primitive structures in their use of technology to automatically adjust temperature, lighting, ventilation, and other interior attributes that affect employees' on-the-job comfort, concentration, and efficiency.

Moreover, their value rests on automation and intuitiveness as systems collect and respond to data and provide continuous monitoring without manual direction from building owners. As their name suggests, smart buildings intelligently and sustainably operate in a way that benefits both the environment and employees housed.

Worth the extra investment?

The question is: is it worth the extra investment?

Well ...

UCLA conducted a study indicating that employees within smart buildings are 16% more productive than their counterparts working in traditional companies that do not prioritize environmental friendliness.

That number is pretty insane if you think about -- 16% increase in productivity.

Even further: Data from the World Green Building Council also illuminates (no pun intended) smart buildings' potential to enhance productivity by a similar percentage.

LEED-certified smart buildings create a comfortable environment that facilitates workers' engagement, especially within financial institutions.

The boost in productivity should encourage businesses to invest more in green technologies in the workplace as they reduce annual utilities costs per employee and correlate with higher retention, thanks to comfortable working conditions.

Additionally, Dodge Data and Analytics suggests that smart buildings, either newly built or the product of renovations, save businesses operational costs by up to 14 percent while increasing buildings' asset value by 7 percent.

There you have it, several reasons to invest in a greener workplace:

Increase in engagement and productivity;
Save on operation costs;
Increase the overall building value;
AND FINALLY: corporate social responsibility.