Health, Singapore (Commonwealth Union) – The level of creativity at work may be influenced by the air quality in the office, as discovered by scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore). In collaboration with the global air filter manufacturer Camfil, the NTU Singapore researchers conducted a study revealing those elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – gases released from various products like detergents, pesticides, perfumes, aerosol sprays, and paint – had an impact on the creativity of participants engaged in building 3D models with LEGO bricks.
Through a statistical analysis, the NTU team determined that a 72% reduction in total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) could potentially enhance a student’s creative potential by 12%. TVOC serves as an indicator for the volume of volatile organic compounds present in the air, with indoor VOCs originating from sources like paints, carpets, detergents, and air fresheners.
This research, conducted on the NTU Smart Campus, is part of a collaborative effort between the university and Camfil to explore the influence of indoor air quality on the cognitive performance of adults. The initiative also aims to assess various air filter technologies under tropical weather conditions and develop innovative clean air solutions with optimized energy efficiency.
The study’s findings, published in Scientific Reports in September, emphasize the significance of indoor air quality in shaping our creative cognition. The research team, led by Assistant Professor Ng Bing Feng and Associate Professor Wan Man Pun, who serve as Cluster Directors for Smart & Sustainable Building Technologies at the Energy Research Institute highlights the crucial role of air quality in fostering a conducive environment for creative thinking.
Assistant Professor Ng says “While most people would correctly associate indoor air quality with effects on the lungs, especially since we just emerged from a pandemic, our study shows that it could also have an impact on the mind and creative cognition, or the ability to use knowledge in an unconventional way. Our findings suggest that relatively low TVOC levels, even if well within the accepted threshold, could impact an individual’s creative potential.”
Assoc Prof Wan emphasized the potential serious ramifications for industries heavily reliant on creativity. He highlighted the risk faced by artists, who often use materials like paints and thinners releasing volatile organic compounds without realizing the need for proper ventilation in their workplaces. The study also suggests that simple adjustments, such as reducing the use of aroma diffusers and ensuring adequate ventilation in offices, could positively impact employees and enhance productivity.
Furthermore, this research aligns with the Health & Society and Brain & Learning research clusters within NTU 2025, the University’s five-year strategic plan. The collaborative team included NTU PhD graduate Dr. Shmitha Arikrishnan, former NTU senior research fellow Dr. Adam Charles Robert (currently a postdoctoral researcher at Singapore-ETH Centre), and NTU graduate Lau Wee Siang.
To quantifiably measure creative potential, the NTU team devised the Serious Brick Play method, a tool adapted from the LEGO Serious Play framework. This method involves expressing thoughts and ideas through the creation of 3D models using LEGO bricks.
In a typical LEGO Serious Play session, a facilitator presents a challenge, and participants respond by constructing a model using LEGO bricks. Subsequently, participants engage in discussions about their models and reflect on the building process, guided by the facilitator.
In the NTU team’s Serious Brick Play method, participants deviate from the norm by refraining from discussing their models and sharing reflections within a group setting. Instead, they provide written descriptions of their LEGO models. These descriptions, along with the corresponding LEGO models, undergo evaluation by a panel of judges to determine their creativity.
Assistant Prof Ng pointed out that while the LEGO Serious Play framework has proven effective in fostering creative thinking across diverse settings, including its use in supporting dementia patients, it lacks a quantitative assessment component for systematically evaluating creativity. Hence, they introduced a scoring component to assess participants’ creativity in a more structured manner.
