DESIGN & INTERIORS
increase in productivity when plants were introduced to the environment.
Workers have also shown reduced anxiety and stress levels, and a greater sense of calm and wellbeing, in greener indoor environments, posting fewer sick days than those in environments with no planting.
It is not just office environments that see the positive impact plants have on behaviour. Plants have also been proven to influence retail, and even dining, habits by improving dwell times and therefore increasing spend. Studies have also shown that hotel guests will pay 35% more for a room with a landscaped view.
Using biophilia for COVID solutions The global pandemic has changed the way we need to use our spaces. Social distancing, concerns over ventilation and air quality are all new challenges the built environment must address, and biophilia can help.
phs Greenleaf has developed a range of moveable cabinet planters and divider planting troughs that are helping businesses maintain social distancing without the need for garish signage or tape. These planters can act as directional aids or social dividers, creating different zones or appropriate distance between work areas, all whilst adding to the aesthetic of the indoor space, and creating a sense of wellbeing and calm that most conventional social distancing measures do not.
Our moveable living walls are helping to provide much needed flexibility for businesses too. They can be used to divide or open up an area, creating space or limiting occupants as required.
Plants are also great for acoustics, absorbing sound and reducing the need to raise your voice – a particular concern for an airborne virus.
They are famously good at improving air quality too. Extensive research by NASA revealed that plants can remove up to 87% of air toxins in 24 hours, creating healthier, cleaner air for those using the space. A fact that
can help reassure staff and customers who see a space with lots of plants.
Where to start You don’t need all the solutions, just the right ones for your business, and a good biophilic design does not have to break the bank. Small improvements can have a big impact, but ensure the planting is suitable for the space and properly maintained and cared for to keep it effective.
Top air quality improvers ‘Mother-in-Law’s Tongue’ (Sansevieria) is a real super plant. Not only is it a great dust attractor, it converts CO2 into oxygen in the night. It also cleans the air of other toxins. NASA found just one ‘Mother-in-Law’s Tongue’ reduced benzene levels by over 50% in just 24 hours. Benzene can be found in paints and cleaning products. These are great on top of cabinets and dividers.
Living walls are also very good air purifiers. One metre square of living wall removes 2.3kg of CO2.
Top acoustic plant Moss walls are perfect for improving acoustics. They absorb sound, making them ideal for meeting spaces.
Low light plant Spathiphyllum are ideal for low light areas like lifts, ensuring they stay looking good longer.
Trending plants Spider Plants, Chinese Money Plants, Fejka and String of Pearls are all proving very popular in current biophilic design, reflecting a modern, innovative business to returning staff and customers.
phs Greenleaf has been providing planting and landscaping services to businesses for over 25 years, including indoor and outdoor plants, artificial and live planting, living walls, grounds maintenance and Christmas trees and decorations.
www.phsgreenleaf.co.uk
www.tomorrowsfm.com
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