Benefits of Indoor Plants

Office Plants Can Lower O&M Costs

Studies indicate that plants release moisture in office environments, creating a humidity level matching the human comfort range of 30% to 60%. When office air humidity falls below this range, materials such as wood can become cracked. When office air humidity exceeds this range, condensation on windows and exterior walls can cause structural damage. By keeping office air humidity levels within the proper comfort range, interior plants can help avoid costly repairs.

Office Plants Can Increase Workplace Productivity

Interior plants are more than office decorations. In fact, it has been proven through scientific studies that office plants can decrease employee stress levels while raising productivity levels by as much as 12%.

Office Plants Can Reduce Sick Leave Expenses

Sick Building Syndrome is a serious and expensive liability when common microorganisms and toxins become concentrated within sealed office buildings. Scientific data confirms that sealed office buildings are often 10 times more polluted than the air outside. Research shows that plant-filled rooms contain 50% to 60% fewer airborne molds and bacteria than rooms without plants. Adding plants reduces expenses incurred from employee sick days.

Indoor Landscapes Provide Economic Benefits

The advantages of a professionally installed and maintained landscape go beyond “curb appeal” and head straight for the bottom line. A well-designed landscape invites customers in the door producing higher occupancy rates, increased rentals and lower vacancies. Also, the proper selection and placement of plant material can lower heating and cooling costs by as much as 20% while creating a healthier environment.

Think Green: The Benefits of Adding Plants to Your Corporate Office Environment

 

Increased productivity, higher profits, and happier employees are all positive business aspects any company would seek to cultivate. Savvy businesses and corporations have long realized physical environments directly affect an employee’s productivity, as well as client’s attitudes.

Numerous studies have been conducted over the last decade, and the results have turned up much the same facts; employee’s productivity, creative performance, and overall satisfaction increase substantially when living foliage and flowering plants are introduced into the work environment. In fact, the majority of Fortune 500 companies have landscaped their office interiors in order to boost morale, build employee contentment, and promote productivity.

Without question, interior plants are a natural and vital part of a productive workplace environment. While a more productive and profitable workforce can be one plus of plants in the workplace, it is not the only benefit.

Along with improving employee productivity, plants help cleanse the air and combat ‘Sick Building Syndrome’. Office buildings are environmentally sealed to increase HVAC efficiency. Inside those environments however, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from thousands of solids and liquids, some of which can have serious adverse health effects. Some VOC emitting products include paints and lacquers, office equipment like copiers and printers, building materials and furnishings, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, glues and adhesives, and even permanent markers.

Many studies, including those conducted by NASA, have proven plants commonly used in interior foliage design cleanse the air of many harmful pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene. Golden Pothos, Philodendrons, Corn Plants, and Bamboo Palms for example, are particularly effective in cleansing the air of formaldehyde. Spaths (peace lily) and Dracaenas remove quantities of benzene. Thanks to the process called photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide and other air-borne pollutants, and in exchange produce oxygen.

Plants also help keep humidity within a healthy range, and thus reduce upper respiratory complications for some people.

 

Here is an infographic of NASA’s Air-filtering findings—detailing what’s in our air, the effects on humans, and the corresponding plants that remediate air-borne toxins.

In the final analysis, it is clear there are many benefits to having plants in your office: