Live plants offer multiple benefits to businesses

Mr. Ron Wood, a research associate with the Environmental Quality Group at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, provides a comprehensive list of reasons why interior plants are key to cost effectively improving indoor environment quality while contributing to sustainable, green building designs.

• Live plants are less expensive to use than powerful air filter systems
• Live plants can be easily moved or relocated
• Live plants are environmentally friendly
• Live plants offer aesthetic stimulants to the people in a room
• With professional care, live plants provide high results at low maintenance costs
• Live plants are cheaper to maintain compared to silk plants
• Live plants support good motivation by creating a balanced work environment
• Live plants can be used as attractive room dividers in open office plans
• Live plants reduce eye strain by reflecting the yellow/green spectrum of light
• Introducing live plants require no change to the building structure
• Live plants absorb toxins, thereby discretely solving environmental problems
• Live plants increase creativity, productivity, and lowers stress
• Live plants offer a solid return on investment

Professor Tove Fjeld of Agricultural University in Oslo, Norway, carried out several conclusive studies regarding health claims relating to Sick Building Syndrome among workers. Here is what he found when plants were introduced into an office environment:

Recorded Health Improvements after the Introduction of Interior Live Plants

The Environmental Protection Agency raters indoor air pollution among the world's top environmental health risks, since most Americans spend 1/3 of their lives in the office and 90% of their time indoors. Employee health and productivity are at risk due to common but dangerous office toxins found in fibers (carpets, fabric, wall coverings) and solvents (wallboard, paints, varnishes, furniture).

Specifically, formaldehyde is found in office foam insulation, plywood, particleboard in desks and bookshelves, carpeting, paper goods, and janitorial supplies. When live plants aren't present to absorb these toxins, the employees are the ones absorbing them!

From a study conducted by T. Fjeld, findings show that absenteeism and indoor air quality liabilities cost over $60 billion last year. These basic health complaints are reduced by 23% when live plants were prsent. In a two year study in 51 offices, health symptoms were 23% less in offices with plants and productivity increased by 12%.

Plantscapers Inc. is an innovative leader in the professional interior plantscape design industry. Known for their unique designs and superb maintenance services, Plantscapers Inc. has been designing and servicing Southern California's high-end commercial and residential interiors for over 27 years. Owners Mark and Julie Farrow continue to dedicate their work to unique cutting edge designs that complement your interiors. The design comes alive, when the plants arrive.

For more information, visit www.plantscapers.com, or call us at (949) 486-1497 or email us for a FREE consultation.

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