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Cited by 52Physical Activity and HealthFacilities and Workplace ManagementUrban Transport and Accessibility

Effect of Innovative Building Design on Physical Activity

Open access
Nicoll, Gayle, Zimring, Craig·2009·Journal of Public Health Policy
DOI 10.1057/jphp.2008.55
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Abstract

Stair climbing can be a low-cost and relatively accessible way to add everyday physical activity, but many building stairwells are inaccessible or unpleasant and elevators are far more convenient. This study explores the use of and attitude toward stairs in an innovative office building where the main elevators for able-bodied users stop only at every third floor ("skip-stop" elevators). These users are expected to walk up or down nearby stairs that have been made open and appealing ("skip-stop" stairs). The study takes advantage of a natural experiment. Some workers' offices were clustered around the skip-stop elevator and the stairs, whereas others had access to a traditional elevator core, that is, an elevator that stopped at each floor with nearby fire exit stairs. Stair use on the open skip-stop stairs and enclosed fire stairs was measured using infrared monitors and card-reader activity logs. An online survey of employees (N=299, a 17.4% response rate) gathered information on stair use and attitudes and behaviors toward physical activity; interviews with key personnel identified major implementation issues. The skip-stop stair was used 33 times more than the enclosed stair of the traditional elevator core, with 72% of survey participants reporting daily stair use. Although implementation issues related to organizational objectives, costs, security, barrier-free accessibility, and building codes exist, the skip-stop feature offers a successful strategy for increasing stair use in workplaces.

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  • In one natural experiment, combination of skip-stop elevators with changes to nearby stairs resulted in a 33-fold increased use of stairs compared with a traditional elevator core and fire exit stairs on the other side of the building.

    “In 1 natural experiment, the combination of “skip-stop” elevators (stopping at every third floor, requiring employees to take the stairs to other floors) with changes to nearby stairs to make them open and appealing resulted in a 33-fold increased use of stairs compared with a traditional elevator core and fire exit stairs on the other side of the building.270”

    From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [270]

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1 of the 16 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. International Conference of Building Officials. Uniform Building Code. Pasadena, CA: International Conference of Building Officials; 2001.

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Authors
Nicoll, G., & Zimring, C.
Affiliations
  • The University of Texas at San Antonio (US)
  • Georgia Institute of Technology (US)
ORCID
Zimring, Craig
Venue
Journal of Public Health Policy
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2009-01
Volume
30
Issue
S1
Pages
S111-S123
ISSN
  • 0197-5897 (ISSN-L)
  • 1745-655X
DOI
10.1057/jphp.2008.55
OpenAlex
W2161023287
Cited by
52
References
16
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 6
FWCI
3.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Public Health Policy (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • OCAD University Open Research Repository (OCAD University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Facilities and Workplace Management
  • Social Sciences › Transportation › Urban Transport and Accessibility
Keywords
stair climbing, office building design, physical activity, workplace physical activity, employee attitudes, barrier-free access, building regulations, implementation barriers
MeSH terms
California, Diffusion of Innovation, Environment Design, Health Policy, Health Promotion, Health Services Research, Health Surveys, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Motor Activity, Walking, Occupational Health, Workplace

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