The Benefits of Plants
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With the average American spending approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, it becomes increasingly important that we spend our time in indoor environments that support our health and well-being. Incorporating plants into the interior spaces in which we spend the most time can help bridge the gap between the constructed world of civilization and the natural world that has sadly faded into the background of our existence.
Urban Sanctuary is dedicated to helping people get back in touch with nature by designing beautiful indoor landscapes that everyone can enjoy. Now, let’s see some of the ways in which plants can improve your home and office.
Improved Air Quality
Buildings today are constructed in a way that maximizes energy efficiency. This results in less air exchange with the outdoors, causing increased accumulation of toxins indoors. Indoor air toxicity rises due to off-gassing from building materials, furniture, technical equipment, and cleaning solutions, as well as the build-up of bioeffluents released from the occupants of the building.
Plants are effective natural air purifiers, taking up volatile compounds through their leaves and breaking them down via natural processes. While some pollutants are broken down by the plant itself, soil microbes also act as tiny air filters by using compounds in the air as a food source.
"Since man’s existence on Earth depends upon a life support system involving an intricate relationship with plants and their associated microorganisms, it should be obvious that when he attempts to isolate himself in tightly sealed buildings away from this ecological system, problems will arise.”
-NASA, Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement
Improved Mental Function
Studies have shown that incorporating plants into indoor environments can reduce stress, improve attention and cognitive performance, lessen mental fatigue, and raise overall feelings of well-being in the occupants of the building. All of this can have a huge impact on productivity and happiness, whether it be at home or in the office.
“Even brief glimpses of natural elements improve brain performance by providing a cognitive break from the complex demands of urban life.”
-Wolf, K.L., and K. Flora. Mental Health and Function
Improved Health and
Well-Being
Being around plants can also have a significant impact on our physical health. Whether it is due to cleaner air, lowered stress levels, or simply being in a more pleasant environment, plants have a positive effect on our bodies. Studies have found that people make a quicker recovery from surgery when they have a green view versus that of just a wall. Pain tolerance, as well as general physical discomfort, were also found to improve in the presence of plants.
In a two year study in Norway, researchers found that participants who worked in offices with plants had a 30% reduction in levels of fatigue, 24% reduction in symptoms of mucous membrane irritation (stuffy nose, eye irritation, cough, throat irritation), and a 23% reduction in dry and irritated skin compared to when they worked in the same office without plants. This could in part be due to the increase in ambient humidity levels caused by the natural transpiration process of plants. Especially in Colorado, where the air tends to be dry, the addition of plants indoors can help bring the humidity level back to a healthier, more comfortable level for building occupants.
"Decreases in heart rate and blood pressure, relaxation of muscle tension, and increase in brain alpha waves indicative of relaxation are all typical responses when exposed to natural scenes.”
-Fred H. Besthorn and Dennis Saleebey, Nature, Genetics, and the Biophilia Connection
Fosters Our Inherent Connection With Nature
It’s no surprise that being in a pleasing environment makes people feel better. For the same reason that property values increase for homes alongside lakes, rivers, or other natural areas, indoor spaces with well-designed landscapes are perceived as more valuable and attractive. This innate affinity for the natural environment and the organisms that reside in it is something referred to as “biophilia.”
Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson popularized the idea through his book Biophilia: The Human Bond with Other Species, written after conducting years of research and observation on the topic. He concluded that our love for nature goes beyond a mere aesthetic or emotional appeal, but actually arises from deep within our genetic makeup. This deep-seated need to connect with the natural environment lends credence to the importance of including plants in the design of interior spaces. At Urban Sanctuary, we believe that biophilic design will change the way humans interact with the environment, and we are dedicated to being catalysts of this change.
“Clients and employees perceive interior spaces with plants as more welcoming, relaxed, and upscale.”
-Dr. Leonard Perry, Benefits of Using Plants Indoors