Why Plants?
How Plants Benefit Your Work and Home Environment

“Going Green” is everywhere – in the news, in design, in technology, in short, embracing “green” is not only the fashionable thing to do, but also the sustainable way to live. As one of the first steps to embracing green, start by including live plants for your work and living environment.  Why plants?  

• Live plants improve indoor air quality
• Live plants reduce sick building illnesses
• Live plants increase productivity
• Live plants increase workplace satisfaction
• Live plants reduce stress 
• Live plants increase creativity
• Live plants are cheaper to maintain than silk plants
• Live plants improve tenant occupancy
• Live plants improve retention rates
• Live plants keep us alive

For any business, the most valuable and expensive assets are people.  In terms of cost per square foot, the human asset is 10 times the building operating cost and nearly 100 times the energy cost.   Clean air is one of the fundamental basic needs of human survival. 

As humans, we take in oxygen, and gives off carbon dioxide.  Plants however, take in carbon dioxide, and gives off oxygen.  Without live plants, there won’t be enough oxygen for us to live.  It is this symbiotic relationship that is keeping our species alive.

In today’s modern, energy efficient office buildings, the sealed air inside can contain 10 times more pollution than the air outside due to toxic emissions from building constituents, airborne mold, viruses, and other pollutants. 

The natural inborn ability of live plants to clean the air means that live plants are the modern solution for a sustainable future. 

Through commercial plantscaping, installing interior live plants designed specifically for that environment, businesses could save $58 billion annually by preventing sick-building illnesses.  It is this commitment to support people that improves retention rates and increases workplace satisfaction. 

Research study completed at Lawrence and Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, verified that 40 percent of all sick days are related to poor indoor air quality.  Improved indoor air quality provides a positive impact on health and decreases sick days.  

European research and studies reveal that plants produce positive emotions and improve focus in office environments.  In these studies, subjects exhibited a more upbeat, creative state of mind when plants were present.

In addition to increased creativity, in a study conducted at Washington State University, subject reaction times to computer program were 12 percent faster when plants were present.  Blood pressure readings taken in the same study showed a drop in stress levels within 5 minutes of visual exposure to live plant settings. 

Increased creativity, lowered stress levels, faster response time, increased workplace satisfaction, this increase in productivity can ultimately translate into millions of dollars in final revenue earnings. 

Here is a case study of how plants benefit businesses.  The Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, enjoys occupancy rates of over 85 percent each year.  The hotel’s high occupancy rate is due to their willingness to invest in their property.  They installed the largest indoor gardens in the country – at 12 acres of indoor space with approximately 18,000 live plants.  This interior plantscaping design results in rooms overlooking the gardens commanding a premium price over rooms without the garden view.  By improving indoor air quality, creating a relaxing and lush environment, they improve their tenant occupancy and retention rate, thus leading to an increased bottom line. 

In the home environment, live plants not only clean the air, they provide stress relief and create a nurturing space for your daily lives.  Your home is your sanctuary, a place to unwind, relax, and enjoy your family and friends.  With an interior plantscaping design in place at your home, it enhances your living space and provides a calm retreat so you can recharge. 

Interior plants are vital to any environment that aims to be healthy, supportive, and sustainable. For more information about clean air see Green Plants For Green Buildings.

To learn more about how professional plantscape design can improve your space, call Plantscapers (949) 486-1497, email us, or visit us at www.plantscapers.com.