Interior plants are more than office decorations. They’ve been scientifically proven to decrease employee stress levels while raising productivity by as much as 12%. Improved workplace morale amongst employees and clients alike has also been linked to indoor live plants. 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 with live plants in order to help boost morale, build employee satisfaction, and promote productivity.

Sick Building Syndrome is a serious and expensive liability when common microorganisms and toxins become concentrated within sealed office buildings. Research confirms that sealed office buildings are often 10 times more polluted than the air outside. But research also shows that plant-filled rooms contain up to 60% fewer airborne molds and bacteria than rooms without plants. 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. Plants also help keep humidity within a healthy range, and thus reduce upper respiratory complications for some people. As an employer, adding plants to your place of business can reduce expenses incurred from employee sick days. And healthier employees equal happier employees!

 Studies show the moisture released by plants in office environments creates 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. Also, the proper selection and placement of plant material can lower heating and cooling costs by as much as 20%.

Living green walls are impactful and dramatic! Employees and visitors will marvel at the lush greenery and calming displays. Creatively designed vertical gardens provide attractive color, texture and incredibly stunning displays. The emerging living green wall trend requires design inspiration and an in-depth knowledge of plant species that work. With proper selections, the results are spectacular!

Modern open office design encourages employee interaction and spontaneous conversation, but this often leads to noise and distraction. One way to reduce the amount of noise in buildings is through the use of plants. Living green walls contribute to overall noise reduction by absorbing, refracting, and reflecting sound waves.  The result is a more intimate, quiet space that encourages focused energy and creativity.

 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage sustainable design. Planted walls can make a building more energy efficient by providing a shield from strong summer sunlight and provide protective insulation during the winter months. This reduces energy consumption and the building’s carbon footprint. Exterior living green walls also provide a habitat for butterflies, ladybugs and small birds within their ecosystem. The use of living green walls can help a building to earn LEED points making it more attractive to occupants and increase the property’s overall value.

The advantages of a professionally installed and maintained landscape go beyond “curb appeal” and head straight for the bottom line. A well-designed interiorscape invites and welcomes customers to your place of business. For multi tenant buildings, adding living plants has been linked to producing higher occupancy rates, increased rentals and lower vacancies.