Biophilia in school buildings: Towards a simplified assessment method based on spatial geometry

Renovating school buildings offers the potential to increase the visual, thermal and auditory well-being of students and school staff through biophilic design. Biophilic design guidelines generally describe the natural features in buildings and the intended experiences for occupants. As limited guidelines specify measurable architectural characteristics, this study discusses methodological explorations to identify potential biophilic qualities of buildings in the early stages of renovation projects, before in-depth post-occupancy evaluations and site visits. This research critically analyses plans, sections and elevations based on building certification standards and bioclimatic design principles. The simplicity of the assessment method aims to facilitate a preliminary evaluation of numerous and diverse schools in Quebec, Canada. The results from a case study of three primary schools showed that the quantitative information in architectural drawings can serve to identify challenges and opportunities for direct experiences of natural features, such as sunlight, outdoor views and fresh air. This exploration illustrates a replicable process to capture measurable architectural parameters with the potential to foster experiences of nature.