Impact of windows, natural materials, and diverse representations in built environments on psychological and physiological well-being: A between-subjects experiment in immersive virtual environments

Extensive research and building frameworks advocate for wellness in design and emphasize the connection between the built environment and occupant well-being. However, the extent to which specific design features influence well-being metrics remains under investigation. While in-person laboratory experiments have yielded valuable insights, they require considerable resources. Immersive virtual environments (IVEs) serve as a tool that offers a cost-effective and efficient method for conducting research with controlled manipulations of the variables of interest, particularly when compared to physical modeling. This paper presents an enhanced IVE framework that integrates human and environmental sensors as well as in-VR questionnaires to objectively and subjectively measure occupant well-being in indoor settings. We used this framework in a study (N = 237) to examine how changes in built features, materials (natural versus artificial), windows (presence versus absence), and representations (diverse versus non-diverse), influence well-being outcomes including belonging, stress, creativity, and environmental concern. We hypothesized that exposure to windows, natural materials, and diverse representations would lead to increased belonging, reduced stress, enhanced creativity, greater environmental concern, and a higher likelihood of engaging in environmentally supportive charitable actions, compared to exposure to artificial environments and non-diverse representations. Our findings confirm significant impacts of these built features on three of the four well-being metrics examined. Specifically, the presence of windows significantly increased feelings of belonging, natural materials reduced stress, and diverse representations led to significantly greater environmental attitudes. These results emphasize the effectiveness of IVEs in studying the effects of the built environment on psychological and physiological well-being.