flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

HKS, U. of Texas Dallas partner on brain health study

Codes and Standards

HKS, U. of Texas Dallas partner on brain health study

Will inform flexible workplace policies and design of the built environment for peak brain performance.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | June 1, 2022
Brain Health
Courtesy Pixabay.

HKS and The University of Texas at Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth are conducting a six-month study to improve the way the firm’s employees work, collaborate, and innovate, both individually and as an organization, according to a news release.

The ongoing COVID pandemic has contributed to high levels of worker burnout, even though efficiency and productivity in many industries remain high in this era of hybrid work, the release notes. The study will assess this and other factors.

“The data compiled will be confidential and used to inform our own flexible workplace policies and how we design the built environment for peak brain performance,” HKS says. Nearly 200 HKS employees are involved in the Center for BrainHealth’s BrainHealthy Workplace program, which offers online training, think tanks, and daily brain exercises over a six-month span to optimize brain health.

Dr. Upali Nanda, HKS global director of research, said the partnership with the Center for BrainHealth could be a critical tool in mapping the firm’s future, with worker wellness at the forefront. “It is particularly timely right now when we are in this era of experimentation around the workplace and are battling high levels of burnout,” Nanda said. “Understanding the tenets of brain health allows us to reframe the role of the workplace, leverage the potential of flex work experience, and focus on peak performance of our people and their ability to think, create, and innovate.”

Related Stories

Legislation | Sep 9, 2024

Efforts to encourage more housing projects on California coast stall

A movement to encourage more housing projects along the California coast has stalled out in the California legislature. Earlier this year, lawmakers, with the backing of some housing activists, introduced a series of bills aimed at making it easier to build apartments and accessory dwelling units along California’s highly regulated coast. 

Office Buildings | Sep 6, 2024

Fact sheet outlines benefits, challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings

A U.S. Dept. of Energy document discusses the benefits and challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings. The document explains how the various types of thermal energy storage technologies work, where their installation is most beneficial, and some practical considerations around installations.

Office Buildings | Sep 5, 2024

Office space downsizing trend appears to be past peak

The office downsizing trend may be past its peak, according to a CBRE survey of 225 companies with offices in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Just 37% of companies plan to shrink their office space this year compared to 57% last year, the survey found.

Codes and Standards | Sep 3, 2024

Atlanta aims to crack down on blighted properties with new tax

A new Atlanta law is intended to crack down on absentee landlords including commercial property owners and clean up neglected properties. The “Blight Tax” allows city officials to put levies on blighted property owners up to 25 times higher than current millage rates.

Resiliency | Sep 3, 2024

Phius introduces retrofit standard for more resilient buildings

Phius recently released, REVIVE 2024, a retrofit standard for more resilient buildings. The standard focuses on resilience against grid outages by ensuring structures remain habitable for at least a week during extreme weather events.

Adaptive Reuse | Aug 28, 2024

Cities in Washington State will offer tax breaks for office-to-residential conversions

A law passed earlier this year by the Washington State Legislature allows developers to defer sales and use taxes if they convert existing structures, including office buildings, into affordable housing.

Adaptive Reuse | Aug 22, 2024

6 key fire and life safety considerations for office-to-residential conversions

Office-to-residential conversions may be fraught with fire and life safety challenges, from egress requirements to fire protection system gaps. Here are six important considerations to consider.

Building Materials | Aug 19, 2024

Federal 'buy clean' construction materials label program unveiled

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a plan for implementing a new label program to boost American production of more climate-friendly construction materials and products. The label program will prioritize steel, glass, asphalt and concrete. 

Reconstruction & Renovation | Aug 19, 2024

Movement to protect historic buildings raises sharp criticism

While the movement to preserve historic buildings has widespread support, it also has some sharp critics with well-funded opposition groups springing up in recent years. Some opponents are linked to the Stand Together Foundation, founded and bankrolled by the Koch family’s conservative philanthropic organization, according to a column in Governing magazine.

Government Buildings | Aug 19, 2024

GSA posts new RFI for enabling energy efficiency, decarbonization in commercial buildings

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, recently released a new Request For Information (RFI) focused on enabling energy efficiency and decarbonization in commercial buildings. GSA wants to test innovative technologies through GSA’s Center for Emerging Building Technologies.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Legislation

Efforts to encourage more housing projects on California coast stall

A movement to encourage more housing projects along the California coast has stalled out in the California legislature. Earlier this year, lawmakers, with the backing of some housing activists, introduced a series of bills aimed at making it easier to build apartments and accessory dwelling units along California’s highly regulated coast. 




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021