Design
In a study at Pittsburgh’s Montefiore Hospital, surgery patients in rooms with ample natural light required less pain medication, and their drug costs were 21% lower, than their counterparts in traditional rooms. (See “Sunlight reduces need for pain medication” by Marilyn Elias.)
A study at Georgetown University found that even if the students, teachers, and educational approach remained the same, improving a school’s physical environment could increase test scores by as much as 11%. (See The Value of Good Design.)