Episode Details

A new pioneering research study proves that there is definitely a business case for introducing Biophilic Design into a Workplace. The findings of this study shows an incredible 200% increase in well-being and environmental value compared to a normal workspace! The research was carried out at PLP Offices over the course of 8 weeks. The researchers monitored the participants daily work during three distinct environment scenarios: a controlled space (with no plants), a second space with some planting, and a third space with lots of plants. They monitored participants through qualitative (questionnaires, interviews, journaling with diaries) and quantitative means (air quality, VOC, CO2, temperature, humidity, light, heart rate, steps, sleep quality, noise level, brainwaves). The results are further proof that introducing plants into an office space really makes a difference to employee wellbeing, healthy, productivity, and a business’ bottom line.

In this podcast, we speak with Adrian Byne, MD of Benholm Group who supported the research, providing plants and also who will be hosting an event on 28th September 2023 in their Falkirk offices for designers to explore the results with the researchers and network and discuss what makes a good biophilically designed workplace. The link to the research here: https://www.benholm.com/research-study-the-value-of-biophilic-design-follow-up-interview/

EVENT - Reap what you Sow 28th September 023

At the in person event in Scotland later in the year, we will be sitting down with PLP, Benholm and the researchers Professor Derek Clements-Croome and Joyce Chan-Schoof with a live audience drilling down into the process and the further application of the research. If you are a designer or specifier and would like to come along let us know, register your interest here: https://www.benholm.com/reap-what-you-sow-live-event-form/ 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴.

Adrian in this podcast makes an impassioned plea: “Plants in an office should be for everybody. They shouldn’t be seen as a luxury or optional extra.”

Adrian also gives us some advice on retrofitting plants and Biophilic Design into a workplace. For instance, natural light is really important, look at what is already in the space, can you expose the timber, can you bring in natural wood furniture? He also says that it is important to call on an expert, especially when bringing in planting, for example you need to make sure containers are big enough for the root-space, that they need to be water-tight, where to position plants in terms of lighting etc.

If you are a designer listening to this, try and introduce your client to the benefits