Businesses leading the work place design trends such as Apple, Google and Amazon are investing heavily in and each are boasting and office plant wall. Leading with benefits such as productivity  increase of 8%, and office plant wall installation rates of well-being increase by 13%, increases in creativity, reduced absenteeism and higher presenteeism these green office plant walls installations are shown to improve worker concentration, engagement and cognitive ability but also to attract and retain staff in the “war for talent”.

 Plant walls can save billions and increase profits

Biophilia was a term first brought to life by the psychoanalyst Fromm in his exploration of the “Essence of Man”, that which defines humanity .“Biophilia” was defined as a love of life and living processes . Peter Newman, a distinguished Professor in sustainability from Curtis University in Australia,  found that by adding biophilic design and landscapes, cities like New York City can see savings nearing $470 million due to increased worker productivity and $1.7 billion from reduced crime expenses.[1][2] . They also found that storefronts on heavily vegetated streets increased foot traffic and attracted consumers that were likely to spend 25% more; the same study showed that increasing day-lighting through skylights in a store increase sales by 40% +/- 7%.[1] . Properties with stabilized plant design also benefit from higher selling prices, with many selling at 16% more than conventional buildings.[2]

office plant wall
office plant wall

Google Nest Offices – Nature Wall : forest moss, bun moss, ming fern, nicoly eucalyptus, and dark green ivy haedera.

The amazing tangible benefits of office plant walls

  • They bring a a human focus in the workspace organization
  • Improve psychological and physiological effects of the work-space
  • Increase thermal comfort levels
  • Improve air quality, lower toxin levels and aid ventilation
  • Provide acoustic comfort
  • Promote internal views onto nature
  • Promote an aesthetic environment with brand recognition
office plant wall

Uber office plant wall installation of reindeer moss wall in a dark green colour.

Biophilia , or the love of nature

This is a term popularized by American psychologist Edward O Wilson in the 1980’s, when he observed how increasing rates of urbanisation were leading to a disconnection with the natural world. He utilized the term “biophilia” to describe his deep feelings of connection to nature during a period of exploration and immersion in the natural world. With a diminished connection to nature, the increasing pressure on urban space & the ubiquitous technological presence we have less opportunity to recuperate our mental and physical energy. The World Health Organisation expects stress related illness, such as mental health disorders and cardio-vascular disease, to be the two largest contributors to disease by 2020.

Benefits of having green walls in the office, and any interior spaces

There have been numerous studies conducted  over the last 35 years on the benefits to the built environment through improving a connection to nature. Here are some interesting numbers to support that.

  • Office design: productivity can be increased by 8%, rates of well-being up by 13%, increases in creativity, with reduced absenteeism and presenteeism
  • Hospitality design: Guests willing to pay 23% more for rooms with views of Biophilic elements
  • Education spaces: increased rates of learning 20-25%, improved test results, concentration levels and attendance, reduced impacts of ADHD
  • Healthcare spaces: post-operative recovery times decreased by 8.5%, reduced pain medication by 22%
  • Retail: the presence of vegetation & landscaping has been found to increase average rental rates on retail spaces with customers indicating they were willing to pay 8-12 % more for goods and services.
  • Homes: can become more calming & restorative, with 7-8 % less crime attributed to areas with access to nature and can command an increase of 4-5% in property price
Amazon AWS plant wall made with a preserved forest moss base, bun moss , stabilised ming fern, leather fern and ivy haedera

Amazon AWS office- plant & moss wall

Amazon AWS plant wall made with a preserved forest moss base, bun moss , stabilised ming fern, leather fern and ivy haedera

Fidessa office plant wall

office plant wall

Office recreation – reindeer  moss frames

Benefits of Preserved plantsand office plant walls

There have been numerous studies over the last 35 years on the benefits to the built environment through improving a connection to nature.

  •  Preserved plants are 100% natural  They preserve the beauty or nature but also the advantages of evergreen properties
  •  These plants do not grow back so after any trimming or external damage they will not be restored to their original shape. We advise you not to handle them frequently or touch them.
  • Hospitality design: Guests willing to pay 23% more for rooms with views of Biophilic element
  •  These plants do not produce any pollen or scents so they provide an allergen free alternative to flowers and do not attract insects.
  • Whilst flowers easily wilt and need to be thrown away on a weekly basis or replaced every other weeks, office plant walls will remain fresh over their lifetime of up to 15 years.
  •  If natural plants only thrive in warm condition, these plants retain their vibrancy even in colder conditions making them perfect for colder spaces that are not easily heated. We also advise not to place them in the direct range of radiators, fireplaces or other types heat sources.
  • These plants do not require sunlight and they thrive in place here there is no natural light. They are perfect for basement or high-basement rooms, restrooms and rooms without windows.
  •  Our installations are indeed made from real plants, however we discourage any watering or misting.  Over the lifetime of your preserved plant installations or arrangements you save hundreds of litres of water. Also we recommend to keep them in lower than 70% humidity environments, 40% being the normal humidity levels for humans.
  •  We don’t like plastic and that is why we encourage you to help build a “plastic free world” by choosing  stabilised office plant walls that last for years, instead of cutting fresh flowers that will be thrown away as soon as they start to wilt, or plastic flowers or installations that encourage the rise of carbon footprint and are not bio-degradable.
[1] Newman, Peter, and Jana Soderlund. “Biophilic Architecture: a Review of the Rationale and Outcomes.” [2] Newman, Peter, et al. Resilient Cities: Overcoming Fossil Fuel Dependence