Why I Started Tracking the “Return on Investment” of Making Our Home More Nature-Connected (And What Other Parents Should Know)

I’ll be honest – when I first stumbled across articles about companies calculating the actual financial returns on making their offices more nature-connected, my initial thought was “typical corporate approach to everything.” But then I realized I’d basically been doing the same thing at home without calling it that.

See, after we started making changes to our house and yard to incorporate more natural elements – what I eventually learned was called biophilic design – I found myself mentally tracking what was working and what wasn’t. Not just whether the kids seemed happier or slept better, but actual concrete stuff. Like how much our energy bills went down after we replaced those heavy curtains with ones that let in more light during the day. Or how many fewer sick days I was taking once we got some decent air-purifying plants in the house.

I discovered there’s actually a term for this in the business world: Biophilic Return on Investment, or BROI. It’s basically a way to measure not just the obvious financial benefits of incorporating nature into built environments, but all the other stuff too – productivity, well-being, energy savings, the works.

**Why This Actually Matters for Parents and Homeowners**

Look, I know talking about ROI on household improvements sounds pretty corporate, but stay with me here. When you’re a parent working within a budget (and who isn’t?), you need to justify spending money on changes that might seem “nice to have” rather than essential. My wife was skeptical when I wanted to spend our tax refund on native plants and better lighting instead of, you know, fixing the leaky faucet in the guest bathroom.

But here’s the thing – traditional return on investment calculations only look at direct money saved or earned. BROI considers everything: energy savings, improved focus and mood, better sleep, fewer doctor visits, even things like increased property value. When I started thinking about our home improvements this way, the math got a lot more compelling.

**How I Started Tracking Our “Home BROI”**

I’m definitely not a financial analyst, but I am stubborn and curious enough to keep track of changes once I get interested in something. After reading about how companies measure these benefits, I started doing a basic version at home.

**The Numbers Stuff That’s Easy to Track**

First, the obvious metrics – our utility bills. After we replaced more windows and started using natural light instead of turning on every lamp during the day, our electricity bill dropped about 15% in the first year. That’s maybe $200 annually, which doesn’t sound huge until you multiply it by how many years we’ll live here.

Energy savings from the garden changes were harder to calculate, but our HVAC system definitely runs less now that we have trees providing shade and native plants instead of heat-absorbing lawn in key areas. I’d estimate another 10% reduction in summer cooling costs.

Then there’s water usage. Converting sections of lawn to native plant gardens cut our water bill significantly during dry months. Last summer, while neighbors were running sprinklers constantly, our native plants were thriving with minimal watering.

**The Harder-to-Measure Stuff That Actually Matters More**

This is where it gets interesting, and where I think BROI makes more sense than traditional ROI thinking. How do you put a dollar value on your kid sleeping better? Or being able to focus on homework more easily?

My daughter’s sleep issues improved noticeably after we changed her room setup – better light control, warmer paint colors, some plants. Fewer middle-of-the-night wake-ups means my wife and I sleep better too. Better sleep for everyone means fewer sick days for me, less crankiness all around, more productivity during work hours.

For my son with ADHD, the environmental changes have been part of his overall treatment plan. His homework time is more efficient in his new setup near the window with better natural light and less visual clutter. More efficient homework means less family stress, more time for other activities, better family dynamics overall.

**What Big Companies Are Learning (That Applies to Families Too)**

I’ve been following some case studies of companies that have gone all-in on biophilic design and actually measured the results. The numbers are pretty compelling, and a lot of the benefits translate to home environments.

**Google’s Campus – The Energy Savings Alone**

Google’s Mountain View campus is basically the poster child for this approach. They incorporated green roofs, tons of natural light, outdoor meeting spaces, natural ventilation – the whole nine yards. Their energy savings from just the natural lighting and ventilation systems hit 30% reduction in electricity usage. For a campus that size, we’re talking millions in annual savings.

But here’s what really got my attention: they measured a 7% increase in employee productivity after implementing biophilic design elements. Seven percent might not sound huge, but think about it in terms of a family household. If environmental changes help you and your partner be 7% more efficient at work, more focused on tasks, less stressed – that adds up to real benefits over time.

**Amazon’s Spheres – The Healthcare Connection**

Amazon’s Spheres in Seattle are these wild glass domes filled with plants where employees can work and meet. Pretty extreme example, but the results were interesting. They saw a 15% reduction in stress-related healthcare claims in the first year after opening.

This hit home for me because I’d been noticing similar patterns with our family. More time in our improved outdoor spaces seemed to correlate with everyone being calmer, fewer arguments, less of that general household tension that builds up. I can’t measure healthcare savings precisely, but we’ve definitely had fewer stress-related doctor visits and issues since making our home environment more nature-connected.

**Etsy’s Brooklyn Office – Mid-Size Success**

The Etsy headquarters example was particularly relevant because it’s not a massive tech giant – it’s a mid-sized company that saw significant returns from biophilic design investments. They reported 12% increase in employee productivity and 20% reduction in turnover, plus 30% reduction in energy consumption.

For families, “turnover” might translate to things like: kids being more content at home instead of constantly wanting to be elsewhere, family members choosing to spend time in common areas instead of hiding in their rooms, guests actually enjoying visiting your house. These might seem like soft benefits, but they contribute to overall quality of life in measurable ways.

**Applying BROI Thinking to Home Projects**

Since learning about this concept, I’ve started approaching home improvement decisions differently. Instead of just looking at upfront costs versus immediate savings, I consider the broader impact.

For example, we’re planning to upgrade the lighting in our kitchen next year. The traditional ROI calculation would focus on LED energy savings versus the cost of new fixtures. The BROI approach considers: energy savings, plus improved task visibility making meal prep more efficient, plus better light quality making the space more pleasant to spend time in, plus potential increase in property value, plus family members being more likely to gather in a well-lit, comfortable space.

When you add all those factors together, the investment makes a lot more sense.

**The Productivity Question for Work-from-Home Parents**

Since the pandemic, a lot of parents are working from home at least part-time. This makes the productivity aspect of BROI directly relevant to household finances. If environmental changes help you be more focused and efficient during work hours, that’s a measurable benefit.

I set up my home office near a window with some plants and better natural light. It’s not a scientific study, but I definitely feel more alert and focused than when I was working in the basement with fluorescent lighting. Small improvements in daily work performance add up over time, especially if they help with things like meeting deadlines, producing higher quality work, or just feeling less drained at the end of the workday.

**What I’m Tracking Now**

I’ve gotten pretty systematic about measuring the impacts of our nature-connected home improvements, partly because I’m curious and partly because it helps justify future projects to my wife.

Energy bills are easy – I track monthly and seasonal usage compared to previous years, accounting for weather differences. Water usage, same thing. We’re definitely seeing ongoing savings that compound annually.

For the less tangible stuff, I keep notes on patterns I notice. Sleep quality for the kids, homework efficiency, how often we choose to spend time in different areas of the house, frequency of family conflicts or stress (sounds clinical, but patterns are noticeable when you pay attention).

I also track our medical expenses and sick days, though there are too many variables to draw direct conclusions. Still, we’ve had fewer stress-related issues and respiratory problems since improving indoor air quality with plants and better ventilation.

**The Property Value Factor**

One aspect of BROI that applies directly to homeowners is property value impact. Well-designed natural landscaping, energy-efficient improvements, and thoughtfully planned indoor-outdoor connections tend to increase home values.

Our real estate agent mentioned that buyers increasingly look for homes with sustainable features, good natural light, and outdoor spaces that feel connected to indoor living areas. The improvements we’ve made aren’t just benefiting us while we live here – they’re likely increasing what we’ll get when we eventually sell.

**Budget-Friendly BROI Maximizing**

You don’t need Amazon Spheres money to apply BROI thinking. Most of our highest-impact changes have been relatively modest investments:

Replacing heavy window treatments with ones that maximize natural light had immediate energy and mood benefits. Painting rooms in warmer, more natural colors cost maybe $200 per room but improved how the spaces feel significantly. Adding plants for air purification and biophilic benefits is ongoing but low-cost.

The native plant gardens required some upfront investment in plants and soil amendments, but they’ve reduced our water bills and maintenance time while providing year-round interest and habitat for birds and pollinators the kids love watching.

Even small changes like rearranging furniture to take advantage of natural light or creating sight lines to outdoor green spaces can have disproportionate impacts on how spaces feel and function.

**Mistakes and Learning Experiences**

Not everything has provided positive BROI. That indoor living wall I attempted was a disaster – water damage, mold issues, expensive to remove and repair. Lesson learned about staying within my skill level and understanding maintenance requirements.

Some plants I chose for air purification benefits turned out to be high-maintenance and died quickly, making them poor investments. I’ve learned to research thoroughly and start with easier species before attempting more challenging ones.

The elaborate outdoor features I initially planned would have been massive budget drains with questionable returns. Scaling back to simpler, more manageable projects has yielded better BROI because they’re actually sustainable for our family to maintain.

**Why This Matters Beyond Individual Families**

Learning about BROI in corporate settings has made me more aware of environmental design in places my family spends time. My kids’ schools, for instance, are pretty typical examples of poor biophilic design – lots of interior classrooms with no windows, harsh fluorescent lighting, minimal outdoor learning spaces.

Understanding the productivity and well-being benefits of nature-connected environments makes me a more informed advocate for improvements in community spaces. When I’m at PTA meetings or parks department planning sessions, I can speak more knowledgeably about why these design choices matter beyond just aesthetics.

**The Bigger Picture**

The companies investing in biophilic design aren’t just being nice to their employees – they’re making calculated business decisions based on measurable returns. The same logic applies to families. Creating more nature-connected home environments isn’t just about lifestyle preferences; it’s about making choices that provide multiple benefits over time.

Better sleep, improved focus, reduced stress, energy savings, increased property value – when you add up all these factors, the case for biophilic home improvements becomes compelling even from a purely practical standpoint.

**What I’d Tell Other Parents**

If you’re considering changes to make your home more nature-connected, think beyond just upfront