Health Benefits

Health Benefits of Plants in the Office

Healthy real plants in the office provide an inexpensive method of cleansing the air of toxic gases emitted from modern office equipment, such as computers, photocopiers, and fax machines. Allowing these gases to build up can cause headaches and irritation to the eyes *(source: N.A.S.A.).

With health and safety in mind, many companies now install large plant displays to maintain the office air quality with additional advantage of enhancing the corporate image.

Interior Plants Reduce Office Staff Sickness

Palm plants have helped cure employees of an aerospace company of headaches, nausea and itchy eyes. When a new industrial photocopier was installed at 'VT Aerospace' in Dorset, many employees soon became unwell.

A landscaping firm suggested installing some palms to help remove office air pollution.

After three weeks, the staff said their symptoms were disappearing. When the palms were removed the symptoms returned during a week of heavy photocopier use, and symptoms disappeared again within three days of the palms' return.

It is not just photocopiers that cause problems; modern offices suffer airborne pollutants from various things such as carpets, ceiling tiles and air conditioning. Research has shown that plants are effective at restoring air quality.

VT Aerospace proposals manager Sid Harding said, "We were not sure at first if the result was simply psychological, but when the plants were removed I had a headache every evening which disappeared once they came back."

Source: Horticulture Week

BMW in Munich Goes Green

BMW takes pride on being cutting-edge in design and engineering. One of their 'cutting-edge' technological developments are cars that use 'BMW CleanEnergy'.

Today they can add a new 'green' health and safety policy for their workforce to their innovative developments. Following on-going health complaints from staff at their headquarters in Munich, BMW has sponsored a study report into the health benefits of interior plantscaping in offices. The ailments that cause most problems were respiratory disorders, dry eyes, dry skin and other general symptoms mainly from their computer operators. Strangely, these symptoms disappeared once the employees had left the workplace. Their Health and Safety Section decided to carry out an investigation using international scientific research findings and experience and then, if possible, reverse this problem by means of introducing interior planting and making a 'green' office environment.

But BMW needed convincing at first-- they were a little skeptical even though international research has shown that indoor planting reduces the symptoms recorded by BMW staff and as a known-on effect, reduces absenteeism too. To satisfy themselves further, BMW decided to carry out a meticulous internal investigation to gain some specific proof for themselves. Extensive data was gathered, comparing the planted 'green' and the unplanted 'non-green work areas. The results were studied by both technical and management departments of other professional groups as well as internally within BMW--the result caused some surprises.

The initial skepticism disappeared when the well-being of the work force clearly improved in the planted areas. It was also felt that the data secured was demonstrably watertight.

Beate Klug, the Health and Safety Officer for BMW commented, "Once the planting was introduced, 93% of the employees working in these areas felt healthier and more motivated to work. They praised the reduction in noise levels and favored working in the 'green' workplace. "Statistics showed that most absences (30%) had been due to respiratory illness but once the plants were introduced, these figures fell. The study by BMW demonstrated that the improved air quality in the planted offices generally reduced illness.

They also found that the planted offices were more comfortable due to better humidity levels and consequently less airborne waste particles too. The current feeling at BMW is that there is no doubt in anyone's mind about the positive effects of plants being used in the workplace. Collecting data continues at BMW in the operation known as the 'Excellent Plant Climate' (Prima Klima Pflantzen), organizing the workplace environment for further improvement by using plants but still remaining economically viable.

"The human factor is the No. 1 criterion in determining a company's relative success. Accordingly, we see our associates not as a cost factor, but instead as an essential performance factor. This is especially true because any human resources policy that is not oriented towards the associate will always lead to negative cost effects in the long run, thus proving uneconomical", states their website.

The example from BMW shows that a 'green' policy does not mean just an increase cost factor but with clever investment it can also result to overall operations cost reduction.

Source: BMW Group

Office Emitters and Absorbers

Chemicals in your office

These are chemicals that, in sufficient amounts, could harm you: