flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
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

Multifamily Housing | Apr 21, 2023

Arlington County, Va., eliminates single-family-only zoning

Arlington County, a Washington, D.C., community that took shape in the 1950s, when single-family homes were the rule in suburbia, recently became one of the first locations on the East Coast to eliminate single-family-only zoning.

Contractors | Apr 18, 2023

New York City construction fatalities, injuries rise in 2022 as activity booms

New York City’s construction fatalities rose from nine in 2021 to eleven in 2022, according to a report by the New York City Department of Buildings. Recorded injuries also rose to 554 last year after leveling off in 2020 and 2021.

Resiliency | Apr 18, 2023

AI-simulated hurricanes could aid in designing more resilient buildings

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have devised a new method of digitally simulating hurricanes in an effort to create more resilient buildings. A recent study asserts that the simulations can accurately represent the trajectory and wind speeds of a collection of actual storms. 

Green | Apr 18, 2023

USGBC and IWBI unveil streamlined certification pathway for LEED and WELL green building programs

The U.S. Green Building Council, Green Business Certification Inc., and the International WELL Building Institute released a streamlined process for projects pursuing certifications for the LEED green building rating system and the WELL Building Standard. The new protocol simplifies documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other. 

K-12 Schools | Apr 18, 2023

ASHRAE offers indoor air quality guide for schools

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released a guide for educators, administrators, and school districts on indoor air quality. The guide can be used as a tool to discuss options to improve indoor air quality based on existing HVAC equipment, regional objectives, and available funding. 

Smart Buildings | Apr 7, 2023

Carnegie Mellon University's research on advanced building sensors provokes heated controversy

A research project to test next-generation building sensors at Carnegie Mellon University provoked intense debate over the privacy implications of widespread deployment of the devices in a new 90,000-sf building. The light-switch-size devices, capable of measuring 12 types of data including motion and sound, were mounted in more than 300 locations throughout the building.

Affordable Housing | Apr 7, 2023

Florida’s affordable housing law expected to fuel multifamily residential projects

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed into law affordable housing legislation that includes $711 million for housing programs and tax breaks for developers. The new law will supersede local governments’ zoning, density, and height requirements.

Energy Efficiency | Apr 7, 2023

Department of Energy makes $1 billion available for states, local governments to upgrade building codes

The U.S. Department of Energy is offering funding to help state and local governments upgrade their building codes to boost energy efficiency. The funding will support improved building codes that reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency, according to DOE.

Resiliency | Apr 4, 2023

New bill would limit housing sprawl in fire- and flood-prone areas of California

A new bill in the California Assembly would limit housing sprawl in fire- and flood-prone areas across the state. For the last several decades, new housing has spread to more remote areas of the Golden State.

Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023

ASHRAE releases Building Performance Standards Guide

Building Performance Standards (BPS): A Technical Resource Guide was created to provide a technical basis for policymakers, building owners, practitioners and other stakeholders interested in developing and implementing a BPS policy. The publication is the first in a series of seven guidebooks by ASHRAE on building decarbonization.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




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