Wellness rooms in the workplace: do they work? Here’s how they could

Many modern office buildings incorporate ‘wellness’ rooms – places where office workers can go and decompress for a little while if stressed, overwhelmed or just in need of a few minutes of freedom from an annoying colleague or frustrating boss.

These spaces are often quite small, sited away from the main office space and often never used. They can allow HR departments to claim that they take employee wellbeing seriously and they might even result in a tick in box on wellbeing rating checklist or a favourable comment on Glassdoor, LinkedIn or a job board.

There are many reasons why they might not used.

They can be hard to find
They might be uncomfortable or poorly designed
They might double up as places for other activities, such as prayer. This might make some people worry about breaking a taboo by using them for other purposes, or worry about when the room might not be available
Their use might carry a stigma.

It is the last point that really needs addressing.

If someone is absent from their desk and their manager asks where they are, going to the wellness room can be seen as sign of weakness.

Or laziness.

When wellness rooms are nicknamed ‘Crying Rooms’, which I have come across, then it is clear that there is something wrong with the culture of the organization. When the privacy of a wellness room actually makes you more noticeable – because you are not where you are expected to be – then it isn’t really a private space.

So, what is the solution?

The most obvious solution is to ensure that the workplace is civilized. This means creating a corporate culture based on great leadership, trust and autonomy. Good corporate culture has the single biggest influence on psychological comfort and wellbeing.

However, even in organizations with great culture, there may be situations when one might need to retreat to a space like a wellness room to decompress, recover from overwhelm, physically relax or to meditate for a few minutes.

So, how can we ensure that such spaces actually foster wellbeing rather than just pay lip service to the concept?

It’s all about the senses

I have written before that biophilia is not just an airy-fairy concept, but is rooted in our evolutionary history. When we have a coherent sensory experience, we feel physically and psychologically more comfortable.

A wellness room needs to be able to satisfy as many, or as few, sensory needs as the user desires. These include:

Privacy

Your use of a wellness room should be absolutely private (with some caveats: for some people, the sound of a heavy door closing and locking can evoke memories of trauma).

You should not have to advertise your use of a space like this, whether by booking a time slot, seeking permission from a manager or even walking past a group of colleagues sitting near its location.

Furthermore, it must be completely enclosed and prevent any views in from inside the building. Solid doors and walls are essential, and the only windows should be to the outside world. Any windows to the outside should be clear. Some views can be relaxing and being able to focus on distant objects might relieve eye strain as well, but they must be capable of being obscured to prevent the user being seen if that is what is wanted.

Light, translucent materials, such as voile curtains would allow light in, whilst maintaining privacy. Their graceful, floaty form also provides some textural and visual interest.

An a.i.-generated image of a possible ideal wellness room, featuring muted colours, natural materials, plants, appropriate furnishings, a moss panel on one wall, a textured rug made of natural fibres and a window partially obscured with a voile curtain. There is diffuse lighting and a ceiling fan with wooden blades

Space

Wellness rooms are often small. They may have been converted from spaces such as small meeting rooms, a small private office or even a storeroom. This is understandable – floorspace can be very expensive, and must be productive. However, happy, healthy workers perform better and are likely to have greater job satisfaction. This means an investment in proper wellness rooms can make sense.

The space needs to be large enough to allow activities such as light exercise (such as yoga or other low impact activities), and also not be claustrophobic. The idea is to allow relaxation and decompression.

Some people may wish to lie down, so a clear floor area would be a good idea. There also needs to be space for a comfortable chair, or even a small sofa and maybe some other small items of furniture to give the room a lived-in feel.

Ceiling height should also be considered. Too low and you risk feeling cramped, or might not be able to stretch upwards. Too high, and it might lose the feeling of intimacy and cosiness that some might be seeking.

A wellness room with a floor area of approximately 3m X 4m would provide enough space to carry out light exercise, such as stretches or yoga, without being so big that it would compromise the feeling of shelter and cosiness.

Lighting

Light should be indirect and controllable – in terms of brightness and also quality. Lighting that includes far red / near infrared wavelengths are thought to have therapeutic benefits, and slightly warmer tones can be calming.

Placing luminaires so that they wash the walls and ceiling with light, rather than having a point source, will be more relaxing. The use of artificial skylights could also be considered.

Decorative lighting might also be considered. Whilst real flames would not be appropriate, simulated flames from LED candles, for example, can provide some non-rhythmic visual interest. Similarly, the placement of objects and foliage in front of light sources might cast some interesting shadows.

Sounds

Noise from outside should be prevented as far as is practicable, and noise generated from within the wellness room should not be audible outside. This has as much to do with privacy as annoyance and distractions.

Features such as soft furnishings, moss panels and even foliage plants can be effective at reducing noise levels.

Sound can be added to the space. They can be used creatively to mask outside noises or even simulate natural sounds such as water, wind in the trees or birdsong. There are many synthetic biophilic sounds available to play through a smart speaker or even download onto a smart phone. One of my favourites is Noises Online, which has 30 individual sounds that can be combined.

Screenshot of the Noises Online web site showing three sounds combined

Smells

Ambient scenting systems are ideal to create subtle scent experiences. These are programmable and have a wide range of fragrances are available. However, care must be taken to ensure that the intensity of the scent is low – especially if the room is not used often and there are few air changes.

Reed diffusers are a cut-price way of filling a space with scent, but if the room is infrequently used, then the effect may be too intense, and cannot be ‘switched off’.

Neutral naturalistic fragrances are ideal. Bear in mind that some people are more sensitive to scents than others, so it must be possible to have a scent-free environment if possible.

Temperature control

This is likely to be quite difficult to manage – it depends on how the building’s environmental controls are operated and whether room-level control is possible. Radiant heat from underfloor heating is likely to be very comfortable for users of a wellness room – far better than warm air being blown around the space, which may result in uncomfortable draughts.

Having said that, sometimes gentle airflow, which mimics natural environments, can bring another non-rhythmic element into the space. A ceiling fan – which is controllable by the user – would be sensible addition to the space.

Textures

Textures offer both visible and tactile interest. A textured rug, made from fibres such as sisal or jute, can stimulate the touch sensors in bare feet, and features such as a moss panel, tree bark or even a small soapstone ornament can feel good in the hands. Having some tactile ornaments to handle, as well as surfaces, to touch can be very enriching.

Furniture and accessories

A wellness room should not be cluttered, and floor space should be kept clear, but it must feel like home. Well chosen furniture and accessories might include:

A sofa or couch, possibly in a chaise longue style, to enable the user to sit or lie down
A small table, where the user can place a drink. This could also be where some LED candles could be placed
A large, soft, textured rug in the centre of the floor. Natural fibres, such as jute or sisal look very naturalistic and also have a nice texture
Shelves or a wall-mounted cabinet where ornaments or books can be placed. This can also be where items such as towels or exercise mats can be stored or where bottled water can be kept
Somewhere to hang clothes, place shoes and store bags out of the way

A close-up photograph (by the author) of preserved mosses and lichens mounted in a panel attached to a wall

The nature connection

A selection of well-chosen interior plants would be essential. Plants that tolerate low light levels and intermittent lighting would be ideal. They should have a variety of forms, textures and shades of green.

A panel of preserved moss on one wall would also be ideal. These require little maintenance and have excellent acoustic and tactile benefits.

Indoor greenery, in all its forms, is my particular area of expertise, so get in touch for advice on this and for recommendations for a detailed specification and maintenance plan.

… and how to reduce sensory overload

For some people, especially some autistic people, sensory overload can be debilitating. The ability to access and make use of a quiet, calm, low-stimulus environment can be very helpful

This means that control of the environment is essential. Being able to turn certain features on or off, or being able to do particular activities to suit individual needs is very important.

Provision for neurodiversity

The recently published design guidance: PAS 6463:2022 Design for the mind – Neurodiversity and the built environment provides excellent information for designers on how to create spaces that are accessible for individuals who may not be neurotypical.

Image of the cover page of PAS 6463: 2022 Guidance book called "Design for the mind - Neurodiversity and Built Environment"

Chapter 14: Safety, recovery and quiet spaces of the guide is especially relevant in the context of this article as it directly addresses the sensory environment.

The key takeaway is to give the user of the space as much control over it as possible, but where that is not possible, to design with hypersensitivity in mind – where spaces are as calming and quiet. It says…

Where only one quiet and restorative space or room is provided, it should be designed as a flexible environment with a variety of design options that are customizable to the individual’s sensory needs.

Each design aspect should have both low and high stimuli options to accommodate both hypersensitive and hyposensitive needs. In mainstream environments where only one space is provided, it should be designed as a low stimuli quiet space with higher stimuli optional additions by choice.

If multiple spaces are available, several spaces of various levels of stimuli should be taken into account.

When creating sensory or quiet spaces, the context of how the spaces are designed and the potential needs of the users should influence the design choices. If a facility is highly stimulating and busy, more than one space should be provided – quantity, quality and location should be taken into account.

biophilic design light light measurement plants

Get the light right

When I started in the world of interior landscaping, many years ago, the plants were usually the last thing to go into a building. Unless there were some big planter beds and atriums where trees and large-scale planting would be planned, most plant displays were in standalone planters.

This meant that interior landscape sales and design specialists were often brought into a project very close to the end of the design process. Furniture was in place and the lighting was installed.

A designer would visit the location, measure the light precisely where the plants were to be positioned and (usually) order the right plants for the prevailing lighting conditions.

Things have changed. Plants seem to be struggling where once they thrived, and it may not be as a result of poor plant quality from the growers, or poor maintenance by the interior landscapers.

Indoor lighting has changed

On 17 November 2025, I was fortunate enough to attend the second International Biophilic Design Conference in London. It was a packed day with several standout presentations. One that struck me as important was given by Ulysse Dormoy on the subject of light.

Ulysse Dormoy’s presentation spoke mainly about the role of far red (FR) and near infrared (NIR) wavelengths and their impact on human health. These wavelengths are just beyond the visible spectrum, and are essential for human health. This energy penetrates soft tissue and drives the reactions that take take place in mitochondria – organelles in every living cell (plants as well as animals) that power life.

The modern built environment – especially office buildings – relies on highly efficient LED lighting to illuminate our spaces. Modern, energy-efficient LEDs used in offices are often optimized to peak in the blue spectrum and only a narrow band of red (which is difficult to achieve in LEDs without losing efficiency) – this is fine for vision.

However, LED lights are almost devoid of the NIR and Far-red components prevalent in both sunlight and older light sources, such as incandescent and fluorescent lamps. Couple this with the treatments applied to glazing to minimize excess heat getting into buildings from sunlight, then we have a problem that might affect human health.

For humans, the absence of NIR means the loss of a key input for mitochondrial health, called photobiomodulation (PBM). This may lead to impaired cellular energy management that is thought to be linked to accelerated aging and reduced healthy lifespan.

So what?

What has this to do with biophilic design and, from my specialist point of view, interior plants?

As far as light is concerned, interior landscapers are faced with two problems. The first is light measurement and knowing whether there is enough for plant health.

Conventionally, interior landscapers measure light using instruments that measure light intensity – measured in lux (or footcandles in North America). When interior lights were incandescent or fluorescent, then measuring light intensity was good enough. Indoor lights of this type produced wavelengths that were good for photosynthesis and there was a close enough correlation between light intensity and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to mean that measuring light intensity was acceptable. Indeed, for decades, interior landscapers have relied on data sheets for indoor plants giving a range of light levels in lux (or footcandles) to aid specification.

PAR is a more accurate measure of useful light, and is measured as photosynthetic photon flux density – PPFD. With changes to lighting technology, PAR measurement might be the only way to understand what light is available to plants.

a PAR meter showing the light spectrum inside a building

PAR is measured using much more expensive instruments than light intensity meters (shown above).

Unfortunately, no readily-available data exists for the PAR requirements of interior ornamental plants (although it does for salad crops, herbs and other plants grown in indoor farms). So even though the cost of PAR light meters is falling, without a reference point, interior landscapers don’t really know if the lighting in an office is going to be correct.

Who knows how many micromoles of photosynthetically active photons per square metre of leaf surface, per second, are needed for the optimal growth of a peace lily? I don’t, and I’m supposed to be an expert!

The second problem we face is akin to the human health angle.

Phytochromes

Just as humans need near infrared light for health, so do plants. Plants, like animals and fungi, have mitochondria. But they also rely on changes in the proportion of red and far red wavelengths to drive physiological processes that are not part of photosynthesis. These are the phytochrome reactions. The phytochrome system controls several growth and structural responses in plants, which govern the plant’s architecture and life cycle.

The phytochrome system functions as a molecular switch that allows the plant to perceive its light environment, particularly whether it is exposed to direct sun or under the shade of a competing canopy. This perception controls critical developmental processes.

Phytochromes are a family of chromoproteins that primarily absorb light in the 600–750 nm range. There are two interconvertible forms, distinguished by their maximum absorption peaks. The biologically inactive state, P_r (which stands for red-light absorbing form) is the default form synthesized in the dark. The biologically active state, P_fr, (which stands for Far-red light absorbing) is typically required to initiate developmental responses like germination or to inhibit stem elongation.

Red light (approximately 660 nm) is the activating signal. Exposure to red light quickly converts the inactive P_r form to the active P_fr form. A high proportion of P_fr signals full sunlight, triggering responses such as:

the promotion of seed germination (in light-requiring seeds),
inhibition of stem elongation (to maintain a compact, high-light-adapted form), and
induction of flowering in some plant species.

Far-Red Light is the deactivating signal. Exposure to far-red light quickly converts the active P_fr form back to the inactive P_r form

The Red:Far-Red (R:FR) ratio and interior landscaping

As the sun tracks across the sky, and as seasons change, the ratio of red and far red light in the spectrum also changes. For optimal non-photosynthetic, light-driven processes, the wavelengths are not just about intensity, but about the ratio between the two main absorption peaks.

The Red:Far-Red (R:FR) ratio is the environmental parameter the phytochrome system is primarily able to sense, providing a crucial mechanism for shade avoidance. Direct Sunlight (High R:FR ratio of approximately 1.1–1.2) is natural, unfiltered light, which is rich in red light, leading to a high proportion of the active P_fr form. The plant perceives this as optimal growth conditions.

Canopy Shade (Low R:FR ratio of approximately 0.2–0.7) is found when light passes through a plant canopy. Chlorophyll strongly absorbs the red wavelengths (used for photosynthesis) but transmits or reflects the far-red wavelengths (which are less useful for energy fixation, but good for mitochondrial health in animals, such as humans). This skews the light spectrum toward far-red, rapidly converting P_fr back to P_r.

When the R:FR ratio drops (due to shade), the plant registers an urgent need to escape competition. This shift to the inactive P_r form triggers the shade avoidance syndrome, resulting in rapid stem elongation (etiolation), petiole extension, and suppression of branching. This isn’t an adaptation to low light, but an emergency response to get into brighter light.

The built environment challenge

As explained earlier, modern, high-efficiency LED lighting often lacks or is deficient in far-red and NIR wavelengths compared to older light sources. For indoor plants, a lack of the far-red signal (730 nm) can prevent the proper establishment of the shade-avoidance mechanism. If the R:FR ratio is skewed too high by narrow-spectrum red LEDs (a common energy-saving configuration), the plant may struggle because it loses the far-red component. This is critical for growth and development processes tied to phytochrome A, which is the primary photoreceptor for FR responses. Even though the plant is photosynthesizing, its morphological development is regulated by a spectral signal that does not fully mimic the complexity of the natural sun/shade environment. This leads to suboptimal plant architecture and poor acclimation.

Office buildings are dark places compared with the outside world. Even on a cloudy, winter day, daylight is several orders of magnitude brighter than that which is found indoors in even the most brightly-lit office. Our eyes adapt quickly to low light levels, but plants can’t.

The plant’s phytochrome system primarily detects the R:FR ratio to determine if it is under a competing canopy, not the overall photon density. In an indoor environment dominated by typical lighting (high in blue/green wavelengths, but little FR), if the light source is a standard LED or fluorescent lamp that has some red peaks but very little Far-Red, the R:FR ratio will be high (similar to direct sunlight). This results in a response suppression. The plant maintains a high level of the active P_fr form of phytochrome, signalling “full light.” This suppresses the shade avoidance syndrome (etiolation).

However, there is another problem.

Far-red light is not just a signalling mechanism. It is also an efficiency booster for photosynthesis itself. This is called the The Emerson Effect. Essentially for indoor plants, by completely removing FR from the indoor light spectrum, modern LEDs seem to be reducing the overall efficiency of photosynthesis. This makes the plants less efficient at utilizing the even the low light quantities they do receive. This further exacerbates their struggle. Therefore, while the lack of FR prevents undesirable etiolation, it forces the plant into a compromise that prevents true low-light adaptation and limits the efficiency of its remaining photosynthetic processes.

The plant structurally maintains a compact, short-stemmed, sun-adapted form, but the actual photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) remains too low. The plant is tricked into behaving as if it is in high light when it is actually in low light. True, long-term low-light adaptation (shade adaptation) involves changes to the photosynthetic machinery, such as

Increased chlorophyll density (producing more chlorophyll per unit area to maximize the capture of scarce photons),
Thinner, larger Leaves that maximize the surface area for light interception and reducing the energy spent on thick, robust leaves.

This shade adaptation is a slow process and starts on a grower’s nursery and has meant, in the past, that indoor plants can cope with office lighting conditions.

However, a high R:FR ratio (due to lack of FR) actively inhibits these true shade-adaptation responses. The plant remains stunted but not acclimated. It is physiologically light-starved because its genetic programming, signalled by the high R:FR ratio, is telling it to stay structurally compact and save energy, making it struggle even more over time.

When incandescent and some fluorescent lights were used, the low light levels – which the plants could adapt to – they had the right R:FR ratio. Now, they don’t and indoor plants, which are well acclimated to low overall light levels, are struggling and not living as long.

Biophilia biophilic design interior landscaping plants wellbeing

More greenery isn’t the same as more biophilic

The interior landscaping industry is doing very well at the moment. This is a good thing as it keeps me and my colleagues in work.

The demand for greenery in, on and around buildings remains strong. Architects, designers and facilities managers are planning their spaces to fully integrate plants into their designs.

The justification for all of this very welcome plant life is to improve wellbeing and make the office more welcoming. Employers are keen to attract and retain staff (those Glassdoor ratings aren’t going to write themselves). Commercial real estate firms need to get people through the doors in order to justify the existence of their cathedrals of capitalism. It doesn’t take too long before ‘biophilic design’ is mentioned.

I have written before about why just putting plants in buildings is not the same as biophilic design. I am increasingly worried that the phrase has gone beyond being a synonym for office plants and are now weasel words that are losing all meaning. However, that is not the purpose of this article.

Sense of connection

Biophilic design should be about creating a sense of reconnecting with our natural environment. Zoos design their animal enclosures to be as much like the natural environment of the animals as possible. This helps them to live as well as possible given their captive state. The human animal also thrives in naturalistic environments, but the modern office is nowhere near getting there.

I understand that buildings are easier to construct with lots of straight lines and right angles – and that’s fine. But the spaces inside don’t have to be like that.

The trend of the moment is cabinet-top (furniture-based) planting. I have written about the practical issues of this style of planting, so won’t go over those again. You can read about my gripes here and here.

No, the problem I wish to address here is how such planting reinforces straight lines and right angles, making the spaces even more artificial.

ai-generated images of a modern office with cabinet-top planting

Nature is pretty random. There are curves and undulations. Vegetation is clustered, scattered and varied. Sometimes you can see over long distances, other times, there are mysteries to explore. There are wide-open spaces as well as sheltered spots. All of this can be alluded to in an office, but so rarely is.

Ticking boxes

Interior landscapers are often presented with a set of floor plans with the furniture already specified. These frequently include cabinet-top planters (which are often far too shallow, but that’s a different issue). The layout is fixed. The interior landscaper’s creativity has been hobbled and the inevitable consequences are hedgerows and plantations.

These hedges and plantations allow boxes to be ticked. Vegetation is visible from the majority of workstations, even though it is uniform. Surfaces are free from clutter and circulation routes are well defined. You might even get a certificate to show how healthy your building is.

But, without the variation that could be introduced, that would bring a sense of connection with the outside world, that could draw the eye away from the screen – even if only for a few seconds – are these spaces really biophilic?

Be braver

Embrace the irregularity of nature. If even it isn’t as space-efficient, you might find that the benefits, in terms of wellbeing and performance, more than outweigh the cost of the odd curve here and there. If you need some help with that – take a look at my services page and get in touch.

biophilic design gardening houseplants indoor plants influencers interior design interior landscaping plant light requirements plant-care plants return to office RTO

Houseplants and interior landscaping plants – what’s the difference?

Image of a young woman in a contemporary domestic living room surrounded by houseplants. Image generated by Bard Imagen ai

Are you a new or aspiring interior landscaping designer? Have you been inspired by the multitude of houseplant influencers that have been promoting the benefits of indoor greenery? Perhaps you are a houseplant enthusiast or influencer and you fancy a new career in commercial interior landscaping. Well, there are some fantastic career opportunities (and I’d be happy to put you in touch with good companies – get in touch). Maybe you run one of the new mail order houseplant companies that has dipped its toes into corporate horticulture. Are you wondering how to do it profitably?

If any of those apply to you, read on. Be prepared for some preconceptions to be challenged.

Read on even they don’t apply – I think you will find the rest of the article interesting anyway.

What has changed?

Over the last few years (pretty much since the end of the pandemic and the drive to get people back into offices), the interior landscaping industry has experienced something of a boom. A lot of interior designers are specifying plants and other elements of biophilic design, which is very welcome. However, many of these designs are clearly inspired by domestic interior design trends and Pinterest boards.

Last week (and not for the first time), I was asked whether the plants suggested by an interior architect would be suitable for an office. I’m afraid the answer was no.

Despite the drive for making offices more welcoming and home-like, using fashionable houseplants in the workplace can pose challenges for the interior landscaper.

Interior designer working on an office design that features plants. AI-generated image by Bard Imagen 3

All indoor plants have to be adaptable to low light and lack of seasonal variation. Interior landscape plants also have to cope with being in a more hostile environment. Office plants often have to contend with a dry atmosphere, irregular lighting (due to motion sensors), care on a three-weekly service cycle and possible abuse (usually accidental, occasionally malicious) by the users of a building.

On the other hand, houseplants – even if not watered or fed very often – are usually checked quite frequently. Houseplants can be moved around to take advantage of changing environments, treated for pests as soon as they appear, and are looked after as valued members of the household.

All interior landscaping plants will make good houseplants (assuming you have the space and the right environmental conditions). Not all houseplants are suitable for a commercial interior.

Why is that?

Inside of a modern office building in London. Image taken by the author. — This is not a house!

Offices and rainforests have a lot in common. The natural origins of indoor plants

There are over a quarter of a million species of flowering plants alive on Earth. About 500 or so will live as houseplants, but interior landscapers tend to use only a fraction of that number.

Understanding something about the natural origins of interior plants will help with the design and specification of successful and resilient planting schemes. It is important for a designer to know about plants’ environmental needs and how they interact with the indoor environment.

The range of plants interior landscapers use comes, broadly, from three distinct climate types. these are the:

Rainforests (tropical and subtropical). About 75% of interior plant species have their natural origins there,
Semi-arid areas (deserts and semi-deserts), which account for about 20% of interior plant species (including succulents and spiky plants), and
Mediterranean climate zones. These include not just the area around the Mediterranean Sea, but also areas with a similar environment, such as California, South Africa (The Cape) and parts of Japan, Taiwan, Chile, Australia and New Zealand (generally at altitude).

The rainforests and semi-arid regions are characterized by very little seasonal variation. This means that plants from these areas are well adapted to interior conditions. Most workplaces have pretty constant conditions all the year round – just like a jungle. The only difference is that instead of lots of rain, the plants are watered by experienced horticultural technicians.

Northern Queensland rainforest, Australia. Image taken by the author — Tropical rainforest in Northern Queensland, Australia
(image by the author)

The differences between a houseplant and an interior landscape plant

A lot of popular houseplants are easy to care for, as long as you don’t mind checking them every few days. They are often quite fast growing and also quite short-lived – although you can often take cuttings. Several species benefit from being moved around the house according to the season and availability of light. They are often quite happy on a windowsill (especially if the house is unoccupied during the day and window light is all they get). Furthermore, dealing with an occasional pest is quite easy – especially if you catch them quickly and can take the necessary time to nurture your plant back to health.

Houseplants are often grown to a different quality standard to those destined for the interior landscaping market. Root systems are often weaker and they have been grown on a nursery to promote lots of lush foliage. This makes them very appealing in a garden centre or DIY store. The retailer isn’t fussed if the plant doesn’t live too long. Most people assume that their dying houseplant is down to their own lack of green fingers. Houseplants are often quite small too, but if you are green fingered, they can be allowed to grow quite big.

Schefflera arboricola. 13 years ago, this was a cheap plant from a DIY store in a 15cm pot. Image by the author. — 13 years ago, this was a cheap plant in a 15cm pot, which I bought from a DIY store. Now it is well over 2m in height and still growing.

However, if you are a commercial interior landscaper, you need proven, resilient plants. These must be capable of surviving for several years in the hostile environment of an office. They have to be resistant to pests, they shouldn’t grow too quickly and they should be long lived. You also need them to thrive between service visits – and these could be three weeks apart (or more). You also need to use a different set of horticultural techniques, substrates and a different way of setting up the plant displays.

Where to learn more

If you would like more information about indoor plants, have a rummage around this blog. There are lots of posts, and more to come, about indoor greenery.

If you would like advice or training on interior landscaping, get in touch or join my mailing list (see below). You can also find out more about my services and training courses here.

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Cabinet-top planters: think of them as horizontal green walls

Shallow planter mounted on the top of office furniture

Over the last few years, office designers have specified cabinet-top planters (sometimes called furniture-based planters). They are rectangular troughs that are designed to hold several small plants – often a mixture of species.

These planters are often, they are rather shallow: 150mm to 200mm depth is quite common. They can look great, but they can also have some issues – especially if you have to maintain the plants in them.

I have seen increasing numbers of this type of planting not looking their best after a relatively short time. Sometimes, this is down to having a mix of plants that are incompatible with each other. (I have a training course about that, by the way – please get in touch). However, more often, it seems to be because the planters are very shallow. Office furniture designers – get in touch with a horticulturist (me, for example) before you design your planters. Some of your work is very sub-optimal. Why do you think 150mm depth is adequate?

Most of these planters take large numbers of small plants in a relatively small volume of growing medium. As a result, they tend get through water quite quickly. Because they are quite high (often above shoulder height), they are also tricky to water and groom.

Vulcaponics can work very well with furniture-based planters, but even they can struggle when the planter is especially shallow.

Most commercial interior landscaping companies have a service cycle of two weeks or more (three weeks is common in Europe). This is fine for larger, solo plants displayed in decent-sized planters. Three or even four week watering intervals are no problem, but this is a stretch for such small plants.

It strikes me that the best way to think of these planters is as a horizontal green wall. Green walls have large volumes of small plants in a relatively small space. They work because the watering element of plant care is managed by having an irrigation system, or hydroponic set-up.

Shallow cabinet-top planter with hydro-culture plants — Shallow cabinet-top planter set up with hydro-culture plants
Image by the author

Interior landscapers: you have options

First, you can shorten your service cycles. This will work, but will be costly. It might make planning of service schedules quite difficult if you have a mix of 2-week and 3-week cycles.

Second, try using more succulents and other low-water plants. This will also work, but you will need to check to make sure the light levels are high enough.

Next, do nothing but make sure you price in much higher plant replacement costs.

Finally, consider using hydro-culture for this type of plant display. This will enable you to stretch your service intervals back to three weeks. You will also solve many of the plant incompatibility issues that would arise from the species having different water requirements when grown in compost. This is the closest to a green wall in terms of care and maintenance.

Get in touch for advice, training or consultancy, whether you are an interior landscaper, designer or furniture supplier – I can help you get it right. Please also sign up to get my emails about my services and training programmes.

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The sounds of falling water and the movement of shadows: the benefits of incorporating non-rhythmic sensory experiences into the built environment

fast-running water cascading over rocks. Picture by the author — Fast running water cascading over rocks. Picture by the author

Biophilic design has gained significant traction over the last decade or so as a way to support well-being, improve quality of life in built environments and even improve productivity. For some designers – especially people in my own industry of interior landscaping – this starts and finishes with plants. However, there is much more to it than just greenery.

I have written before about the need to stimulate all of our senses to be truly biophilic. One way to achieve this is by incorporating non-rhythmic sensory stimuli. These include elements such as the sound of running water, the sight of flickering flames, rustling leaves, or the sensation of a gentle breeze. Ambient scenting may also be considered a non-rhythmic sensory stimulus, although this is a much more complicated issue and worthy of a separate article.

The incorporation of non-rhythmic sensory experiences into the built environment can offer additional ways to enhance well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life by making the biophilic experience more rounded. This is one of the 14+ patterns of biophilic design recognised in the iconic report by Terrapin Bright Green (which has been recently updated in its 10th anniversary edition, and which is very much worth a read).

Image of the cover of Terrapin Bright Green report: 14 patterns of biophilic design - 10th anniversary edition

The science behind non-rhythmic sensory stimuli

Non-rhythmic sensory stimuli are characterized by their variability and unpredictability, which is in contrast to the often monotonous and repetitive patterns found in the artificial settings of the built environment. These stimuli are common in natural settings. Research suggests that such patterns engage our senses in a way that promotes relaxation, reduces stress and may even enhance our cognitive abilities.

One study Joye et al. (2013) suggested that non-visual sensory stimuli, such as the sound of water or wind, can significantly reduce stress and improve mood. The study found that these stimuli activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” response. It has been suggested that this could counteract the effects of chronic stress. Similarly, the visual unpredictability of natural elements, such as the movement of flames or shifting shadows as the sun shines through vegetation blowing in the breeze, might capture attention in a non-intrusive way, fostering a sense of calm.

shadows of folaige on a wall — Photo by Tim Mossholder on Pexels.com

Psychological and emotional benefits

One of the most significant benefits of non-rhythmic sensory experiences is their ability to reduce stress and anxiety. In a world dominated by structured routines and artificial environments, the introduction of natural, irregular patterns can provide some form of mental escape back to nature. For instance, the sound of running water, whether from a fountain, an indoor waterfall or even from an electronic soundscaping system has been shown to reduce stress, as measured by skin conductance (Alvarsson et al., 2010), something that could be valuable in high-stress environments such as some offices, hospitals, and schools.

Moreover, non-rhythmic stimuli can evoke positive emotional responses. The sight of dancing flames in a fireplace or the gentle movement of curtains in a breeze can create a sense of warmth, comfort, and nostalgia. These experiences tap into our evolutionary connection to nature, fostering feelings of safety and well-being. Over 30 years ago, Roger Ulrich (1993) wrote that exposure to natural elements can elicit positive emotions and reduce feelings of anger, fear, and sadness, which are often exacerbated by sterile, artificial environments.

Cognitive and productivity benefits

Incorporating non-rhythmic sensory experiences into indoor spaces can also enhance cognitive performance and productivity. Research by Kaplan and Kaplan (1989) on Attention Restoration Theory (ART) suggests that natural environments, with their innate variability, provide a restorative effect on mental fatigue. Non-rhythmic stimuli, such as the sound of a breeze or the sight of moving water, can serve as “soft fascinations” that allow the brain to recover from the demands of focused attention.

In the workplace, it has been suggested that the introduction of non-rhythmic elements might be linked to improved concentration, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Anecdotal reports suggest that people working in environments with natural sounds, such as flowing water or bird songs, experienced higher levels of satisfaction and productivity compared to those in traditional office settings.

Similarly, the use of dynamic lighting systems that mimic the shifting patterns of natural light can help regulate circadian rhythms, improving alertness and reducing fatigue. Research carried out at the BRE and presented at the Wellness and Biophilia Symposium in 2019 showed a relationship (in some scales) between dynamic lighting and improved self-reported wellbeing.

Practical applications in the built environment

The use of non-rhythmic sensory experiences into indoor spaces is now being incorporated in some workplaces, and can be achieved through a variety of design strategies. Water features, such as indoor fountains or aquariums, can provide both auditory and visual stimulation. . Similarly, the use of natural materials, such as moss, foliage, wood and stone, can enhance tactile experiences and evoke a sense of warmth and authenticity.

An indoor water feature in an airport providing irregular sounds of falling water — An indoor water feature in an airport

In addition to these physical elements, technology can play a role in bringing non-rhythmic experiences indoors. For example, dynamic lighting systems that mimic the changing patterns of natural light can stimulate the brain not unlike being outdoors throughout the day and soundscapes that replicate natural environments, such as forests or beaches, can be used to create a calming atmosphere in offices, schools, and healthcare facilities.

Virtual reality systems that simulate natural settings can also provide immersive sensory experiences, particularly in environments where access to nature is limited. I once visited a place where there were no windows in one part of the building, so screens were set up linked to cameras mounted on the external walls so the view from outside could be brought in.

I can help you with your biophilic designs

If you are a designer or are planning some biophilic interventions in your building and would like some advice on how to incorporate non-rhythmic stimuli, please get in touch. I know lots about plants, a fair bit about water and scenting and I can put you in touch with plenty of people that are experts in some of the other patterns.

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A problem with cabinet-top planters

Close-up of a cabinet-top planter in an office with multiple tropical plants

I see dozens of posts on LinkedIn every day of interior landscapers, from all around the world, showing some of the fantastic projects that they are doing. The desire for office greenery isn’t subsiding and organizations are seeing the benefits of putting plants into the workplace.

This makes me happy.

I also see dozens of posts every day where such greenery is in cabinet-top planters. This too has its positives: the plants are elevated and visible from a distance. The density of foliage is good and it looks a whole lot nicer than piles of paper and other office junk that would otherwise find its way to any available horizontal surface.

This too is a cause for celebration.

But. And there is a but…

Interior designers and interior landscapers, please have a thought for the technicians that have to look after these plant displays. The plants are often at, or above, shoulder height and if you are constantly lifting 10kg – 15kg of water from the floor to that height, and twisting to make sure that the water goes where it is supposed to, you are putting quite a strain on your body. Do that 150 – 200 times a day and you are really going to feel it.

Please make sure your manual handling risk assessments are up-to-date, your manual handling training reflects this type of plant maintenance, and please look for alternatives to watering cans when planning work like this – small watering machines would be a good choice where practicable.

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Are plants in buildings really green? The environmental impact of interior landscaping

Biophilic design is all about creating spaces in the built environment that are healthy, happy, engaging and effective. You may know that the reason why biophilic design works is because we create spaces that allow us to rebuild connections to nature and our natural habitat. We enrich our spaces to make the lives of domesticated, ‘battery humans’ so much better. In the workplace, biophilic design can lead to better business outcomes. More productivity per kilowatt hour of energy consumed – so possibly a gain for the environment.

A significant element of almost every biophilic design is greenery – indoor and outdoor plants displayed in a naturalistic fashion. It is easy to assume that, because live plants are being used, that they must be an environmentally-friendly addition to any building.

But does that assumption survive scrutiny?

Does the green part of biophilic design create a net benefit to our environment?

Interior landscapers, the providers of office greenery, use a variety of plants in their schemes. Indoor plants tend to have their natural origins in the tropics and subtropics – places where seasonal variation is minimal (much like the insides of buildings, which also have a near constant environment. Office blocks and rainforests have more in common than you might think.) This doesn’t mean that indoor plants are sourced from the wild – that would definitely be bad for the environment. They are grown by specialists under controlled environmental conditions in nurseries. In temperate climates, the use of native species in buildings is guaranteed to fail.

In Europe, most indoor plants are sourced from The Netherlands. Dutch growers have perfected the art of producing millions of plants using quite complex technology to regulate the light, temperature, water and plant nutrients used in their glasshouses to produce pristine crops to exacting specifications. However, this comes at a cost. The energy used to heat and light their glasshouses has to be generated somewhere. The water used for irrigation is treated with fertilizers and any left over has to be recycled and re-treated before it finds its way back into the environment.

Tropical plants in a nursery in the Netherlands — Interior landscape plants at a Dutch nursery (image from Koberg bv)

Over the last few years, the Dutch nursery industry has significantly reduced its inputs, with a significant reduction in the impact it has on the wider environment, but let’s not shy away from the fact that nursery production is a resource-consuming industry.

Another impact on the environment comes from the substrates used to grow the plants. Peat is still used (and not just in Europe). Even where it is no-longer extracted from fragile habitats, its extraction can lead to significant greenhouse gas emissions. As the peat dries out and oxidizes, it releases carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is, essentially, a fossil fuel. It was originally taken out of the atmosphere thousands of years ago by the mosses and sedges alive at the time.

Fortunately, peat is being used less and more sustainable substrates are now being used, such as coir, composted green waste and even volcanic minerals (vulcaponics).

Once the plants have been produced, they need to be transported to the buildings where they are going to be installed. Hundreds of trucks burn diesel fuel transporting plants from the Netherlands to all over Europe and beyond.

What about other countries?

In North America, plant production is rather less intensive. In the major growing areas of Florida and California, plants are grown more-or-less outdoors under polythene and heavy shade cloth. The energy inputs are significantly less than in Europe, but other inputs, such as pesticides tend to be higher.

Plants grown under heavy shade in a US plant nursery — Plants in a US nursery under heavy shade (image by Matt Kostelnick)

Here, as in Europe, plants need to be transported across an entire continent. Large, climate-controlled trucks drive thousands of kilometres to deliver plants from Florida to Montreal and all places in between and sometimes, plants are even transported by air.

Air transport container loaded with plants (image by Matt Kostelnick)

Many plants used by interior landscapers in Europe also spend some of their lives growing in fields in Central America before being sent to the Netherlands for finishing, and many large trees and palms used in European buildings are grown in Florida and shipped to the Netherlands for acclimation and preparation before they are then sent to their final destination.

Florida and California are both subject to ever more extreme climate events. The Florida nursery industry has often suffered existential threats due to hurricanes, and California is frequently under severe water stress.

There are other places in the world where indoor plants are grown. I have recently visited India, where vast office complexes are being constructed at an astonishing rate. These buildings are being constructed to the highest standards – often to high LEED and WELL buildings specifications. Biophilic design is integral to these projects, both inside the buildings and in the campus environments where so many of them are being developed.

A typical office campus in Hyderabad, India — An office campus in India showing the extensive outdoor greenery to provide a pleasant working environment

In India, most of the plants used are grown locally by commercial nurseries. It is a very well developed industry, which is superficially similar to the Florida industry. Vast, heavily shaded polythene structures are used to grow exceptionally-good plants for both the retail and interior landscaping markets. Pesticide inputs are low, growing media are often locally-sourced coir-based products (essentially a waste product of coconut farming) and little, or no energy is used for lighting their nurseries. Supply chains tend to be relatively short (there are nurseries relatively close to many of the big cities), so that too is a benefit.

Anthurium plants at a nursery in India — Tropical plants at a Nursery in India

However, every nursery owner that I spoke to (and it was a lot) is seriously concerned about climate change. Near Pune and Bangalore, temperatures are significantly above average, and rainfall is scarce. This is partly explained by the El Niño effect, which is near its peak, but there is no doubt that man-made climate change also has an impact.

Water shortages are a major concern. High on the Deccan Plateau, rivers are uncommon and much irrigation water is often sourced from boreholes and stored rainwater. Groundwater is rapidly diminishing and rains are increasingly unreliable.

Commercial plant nursery near Pune, India. A large reservoir has been constructed to store ever-diminishing supplies of water — Commercial plant nursery near Pune, India. A large reservoir (structure on the left) has been constructed to store ever-diminishing supplies of water

The seemingly insatiable desire for indoor plants in India, due to the rapidly developing commercial real estate market, is threatened by changes happening to the environment right now.

Reasons to be cheerful

I don’t want to be too gloomy, though. Compared with other elements in the built environment (including other elements found in a biophilic space), greenery still contributes comparatively little to the environmental damage caused by commercial development (though it can be improved).

Plants are still a high impact, low cost addition to the built environment. If they make an organization more effective, you get more output (however you choose to measure it) for every tonne of carbon dioxide (or other harmful emission) put into our environment.

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How do you know whether a design is going to be (or has been) successful? A simple guide to evidence based design

What is evidence-based design?

Evidence-based design (EBD) is the design of spaces based on evidence, not simple ‘rules of thumb’ (also referred to as heuristics). The discipline of EBD was first developed in the healthcare industry, and its principles are increasingly being applied across the built environment.

An important part of the design process has to be a real understanding of what the client is really trying to achieve and then develop some metrics and indicators to determine whether those objectives have been achieved.

What is important for the customer?
What is the starting point?
What is the end point?
How do we know that we’ve got there?

For example, is the client concerned about health and wellbeing, colleague engagement or productivity? These can all be measured, to an extent.

Some measurements may be physical or observational, e.g. how space is used. Other measurements might be associated with HR indicators such as absenteeism or complaints about the indoor air quality.

Maybe, the client is mainly interested in achieving a building certification (such as WELL) or a high Glassdoor rating in order to attract and retain staff (or to gain a “great place to work” recognition). These may require a different set of metrics and, in some cases, might be achieved by ticking boxes and completing spreadsheets without needing to engage with the end-users of the space at all.

Having said that, such a workplace, whilst meeting the specified end point of getting a certification, may not be especially effective. It is now well known that empowered, involved and engaged workers tend to be happier, healthier, more satisfied and more productive than those for whom a change was imposed.

However, without defining terms at the beginning of a project, the designer cannot really justify claims for its subsequent success. Objectives and KPIs must be clearly defined. If not, the wrong metrics may be used. Without good evidence, knowing what tweaks might be needed is impossible. This is especially true once a new workplace design has been commissioned to keep it working effectively.

If EBD is applied without direct involvement from the end-users, the designer limits the amount and quality of evidence available.

Five-step approach to evidence-based guided design

Diagram showing the 5-step evidence-based design process

I will illustrate the process using an example of creating an new interior landscape scheme in an office-based workplace, although the principles would apply to almost any types of design project. Get in touch to discuss your specific needs.

Step 1: setting the intent and identifying needs

Here, we state the intent of the exercise. We seek to discover the needs of the client and identify any issues or areas that are important to the organization. These may relate to health and well being, productivity / financial indicators, staff engagement or even sustainability. Initial discussions would probably be with the client’s management team. It would be wise to also engage informally with the premises users at this time. This helps see if the management’s concerns align with those of their staff.

Outputs: KPIs agreed, scope and boundaries of surveys agreed, communications plan, workshops and end-user communications (e.g. newsletters)

Step 2: surveys and initial data

The next step would be to carry out a detailed set of surveys. This will include an assessment of the physical space (light, noise, layout, air quality, etc.) and a tailor-made staff survey, which will identify and quantify areas of concern. I can design these surveys for you so you get the information you really need.

The designer would also ensure that we have some objective baseline data from the client (if required) that could be compared against the designer’s own findings.

Outputs: initial surveys and data analysis, second staff communications, scope and boundaries of design agreed, design budget agreed.

Step 3: consultation and engagement

Before any intervention is made (for example, a redesign of the office space), the office staff should be kept engaged.

Research has demonstrated that giving office workers a genuine stake in the project (hearing their views and giving them real choices) results in better, and more durable, outcomes.

Throughout the process, the designer would ensure that all stakeholders in the project are kept informed of the progress of the project. This will be achieved using newsletters, social media and face-to-face discussions. At this point, the designer would have a fair idea of options available.

Outputs: ideas and requests collected from client’s staff, third staff communications

Step 4: design

At this point, an experienced design team would be brought in to discuss design options with all the stakeholders. The designer will have an idea of what might work after reviewing all the initial survey information. The designer will then present some outline options to the client.

The designer would then take their collected ideas forward for discussion and engage all users of the office space in the final decision. Once this has been agreed, the design team would make arrangements for the space to be redesigned accordingly.

Throughout this process, it is important to keep all stakeholders informed. There is often a few weeks lead time for a design to be installed. The designer and the client need to keep everyone’s enthusiasm alive. They should build up to the day when their ideas are realized in their newly-designed work space.

Outputs: first design proposals for discussion by staff and management. Revisions and final design choices. Design specification and order. Fourth (and possibly fifth) staff newsletter. Design installation.

Step 5: Follow-up and continuous review

The client will need to know whether the interventions carried out in the offices have been successful. Therefore, a series of follow-up surveys could be carried out shortly after the new designs have been installed. These surveys could include staff questionnaires, analysis of the client’s data, and physical measurements of the environment.

Such surveys might be repeated every 2 months or so for at least 9 months to confirm that the interventions have had a durable effect. If necessary, designs could be reviewed and adjusted as needed to satisfy the customer or end-users. Their experience may highlight unforeseen needs.

Again, the designer would continue to communicate and engage with all stakeholders to let them know what is going on, and to get some qualitative evidence as well as quantitative data.

Outputs: follow-up surveys, data analysis, continuing staff newsletters

How will you know whether an environment is successful?

At each step of the process, data will be gathered to determine whether process is working. Data for evidence-based design can come from direct, indirect or proxy sources.

Pre-intervention	At installation	Post intervention
Direct measures (examples)
End-user surveys End-user focus groups Sentiment / satisfaction measures Customer interviews Observational data Sensors and monitors	Discussions with end users – confirm needs have been met Discussions with customer – confirm needs have been met Sentiment / satisfaction measures	Ongoing Post intervention surveys (every few months for at least one year) Ongoing sentiment / satisfaction measures Interviews and focus groups Observational data Sensors and monitors
Indirect measures (examples)
WELL scorecard Fitwel scorecard RESET scorecard Sustainability scorecard Leesman index Revenue / person Revenue / square foot Absenteeism records Staff retention rates Review sites (e.g. Glassdoor, Trustpilot, etc.)	Absenteeism records Staff retention rates Review sites (e.g. Glassdoor, Trustpilot, etc.)	WELL scorecard Fitwel scorecard RESET scorecard Sustainability scorecard Leesman index Revenue / person Revenue / square foot Absenteeism records Staff retention rates Review sites (e.g. Glassdoor, Trustpilot, etc.)
Proxy measures (examples)
Tests and quizzes Simulations Comparison with similar organizations (impact seen with them probably similar to impact on us) Case studies References	Tests and quizzes Simulations Designer feedback	Tests and quizzes Simulations Comparison with similar organizations (impact seen with them probably similar to impact on us)

Big Brother is watching you

Direct sources of data may be from automated systems and sensors. Sensors are increasingly being used to give building managers and space planners real-time data on how space is used and the environmental conditions in different parts of a building. This is becoming increasingly important now that hybrid ways of working are becoming more common and workplace usage patterns are changing rapidly.

Data collected on environmental and space utilization parameters allows for rapid changes in layout or environmental management. This ensures that users get as comfortable and as useful a workspace as possible.

Mapping survey data to culture, demographics and location: unveiling the nuances

Understanding the collective preferences of the end users of the workplace – the office workers – is crucial. However, digging deeper into the data is essential. Attempting to map these preferences onto the cultural, demographic, and locational peculiarities of the organization can give invaluable insights. This reveals patterns and nuances that can be easily overlooked in broader surveys.

The benefits of longitudinal studies

Collecting survey data immediately before and after the installation of a new interior design is not especially valuable. People notice the immediate impact of change. However, tracking individual responses over time (whilst meticulously maintaining privacy) is very beneficial. It includes collecting data for an extended period post-intervention. This allows the designer to distinguish the subtle effects of design interventions from the larger waves of, say, a new CEO or a major business shift.

Granular analysis of data over time, ideally with the aid of a statistician, can offer a clear picture. It will reduce the risk of misinterpretations and helps to ensure that design decisions are informed by the most accurate trends.

Longitudinal studies, with frequent data analysis, also allow for post-design tweaks. Whilst easy-to-digest broad data can be appealing, the detail is where hidden gems of insight can be found.

Hidden gems

Demographic studies can hold surprising potential, as long as you know what to look for. For example, a seemingly innocuous study (carried out in the late 1990s) into the plant preferences of staff in a local government office revealed a hidden layer of cultural influence. The headline findings clearly showed a relationship between plant preference and the seniority of the office worker. Closer examination unearthed a deeper connection to gender, rooted in the organization’s history and norms. Men occupied the bulk of the senior positions, whilst there were far more women occupying more junior roles. This highlights the importance of not solely relying on surface-level observations and instead delving into the details woven into the data.

Another small study challenged preconceived notions by demonstrating that job role, regardless of age, could be a stronger reflector of plant preferences than previously thought. Stereotypes, both reinforced and shattered, illustrate the power of data to illuminate the complexities of human behaviour within a specific context.

Ultimately, mapping data to culture, demographics, and location is not about finding definitive answers, but rather about uncovering the rich tapestry of influences that shape how people interact with their environment. By exploring the nuances found in data, evidence-based design transcends mere aesthetics and can be a tool that transforms workplaces into spaces that truly resonate with their users.

Measuring the right thing!

If the aim of a project is to improve employee wellbeing, then there is no point in measuring the organization’s Net Promoter Score. Likewise, measuring indoor air quality is unlikely to tell you much about a company’s brand reputation.

Having said that, there are likely to be some interesting interactions. Improving indoor air quality may well have an impact on productivity, especially if carbon dioxide levels are kept low, leading to greater alertness and less fatigue. However, you won’t know if productivity has been improved unless you actually measure it. Similarly, whilst improving employee wellbeing may lead to a better NPS score – happy staff are probably going to give better customer service after all – NPS isn’t, on its own, going to be a reliable measure of wellbeing.

Here are some possible aims of a design interventions with some of the metrics that could be used.

Project aim	Possible metrics
Improved productivity	Revenue (or profit) per employee Revenue (or profit) per unit area of office space
Reduced absenteeism	Work days lost, long term absence, etc.
Increased office space utilization	Time spent in the office Workspace occupancy Sensor data
Improved wellbeing	Survey data: complaints of SBS, symptoms, reasons for absenteeism, etc. Health monitoring data
Improved environmental quality	Survey data: workplace comfort Physical data: temperature, RH, noise, VOCs, CO₂
Enhanced brand reputation	NPS data Ranking in reviews / indices (e.g. Glassdoor, Leesman, Trustpilot, etc.)
Improved colleague engagement	Staff engagement surveys, e.g. Q10, Hays Group,
Improved customer engagement	NPS Customer comments and complaints, reviews, etc. Customer satisfaction surveys Trip Advisor scores (for hospitality sector) Trustpilot scores (for service providers, retail, etc.) Increased footfall or dwell time (retail sector) Increase in return custom (retail, healthcare and hospitality) Customer referrals (retail, healthcare, hospitality)
Improved sustainability	GHG emissions normalized against revenue or per capita (rather than against floor space) Reductions in energy costs

Add value to your interior design

If you are involved in design, consider an evidence-based approach. This is especially important if you are an interior landscaper who wants to add value to your service. If you need help in putting together a programme, or if you need assistance designing surveys and other elements of data collection, then please get in touch. Check out my services page for information about my specific areas of expertise and consultancy.

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Vulcaponics: is this the future for interior landscaping?

Interior landscape where all the plants are set up using a vulcaponic growing system

Vulcaponics is the latest evolutionary step in interior landscaping and is becoming increasingly popular. If you are not familiar with the term, it is a growing system that combines the advantages of hydroculture with the convenience of soil culture. The system encourages good root growth, makes water and fertilizer management easier, reduces the risk of soil pests (especially fungus gnats) and helps the interior landscaping industry reduce its reliance on peat-based substrates.

So, what is a vulcaponic growing system?

Vulcaponics is a hybrid growing system that combines the benefits of both soil and hydroculture systems. It is effectively a semi-hydro system: the plants start out as conventional soil-cultured plants growing in a lightweight compost but over the course of a few weeks, the roots grow into the vulcaponic substrate and behave more like the water roots that are found with hydroculture plants.

In many respects, the system is similar to the Seramis system that developed in the 1990s, and which encourages exceptional root growth. Seramis is composed of small granules of expanded, aerated clay (much smaller and denser than LECA, used in hydroculture plants), which are able to hold water and allow root hairs to penetrate them. If I remember correctly, the product was originally developed as a type of cat litter, but was soon found to be an exceptional substrate for indoor plants.

Vulcaponic substrate shares many of the same characteristics, but instead of being made from clay, is composed of fine granules of pumice (the result of volcanic activity – hence the name) and some other naturally-occurring minerals.

Schematic diagram of a vulcaponic plant display

What are the benefits?

Vulcaponic systems have several benefits, and most relate to better root growth and root health due to improved water management.

Watering a vulcaponic system is very easy – you check the soil moisture of the root ball (using a soil probe), and if it is dry, you add water. Sometimes, vulcaponic displays are fitted with a float gauge (the same as with a full hydroculture system), but it isn’t essential.

Diagram showing how to assess moisture in a rootball — Assessing moisture in the rootball of a plant when a depth gauge is not used

Water is added to substrate, which then percolates down the to the bottom. The water is then absorbed by the substrate, which can lift it as much as 20cm. This then creates a jacket of moisture right around the root ball which initially soaks into the soil. After a while, roots from the rootball will grow into the vulcaponic substrate and take water from there. This means that the rootball remains aerated and oxygen can get to the roots easily. It also means that the soil is not compacted as it often is when top-watered.

Diagram showing watering technique — Water the surface, not individual plants

Delivering the water to the roots this way has another benefit – the soil surface remains dry. If the soil surface is dry, then fungus gnats (sciarid flies) have a hard time getting established. Furthermore, a vulcaponic display should include a 2 – 3cm deep layer on the surface as well as around the sides and underneath the rootball. This makes it even harder for soil-dwelling pests to establish.

Watering intervals can also be extended. My own experiments have shown that it is easily possible to extend watering intervals to as much as six weeks (depending on plant species). This means that interior landscapers can spend more time cleaning, grooming, trimming and pruning their plants (the interesting part of the job) and less time lugging heavy watering cans around and just having enough time to give the plants a quick drink. The ‘splash and dash’ approach to plant maintenance can be eliminated, resulting in higher quality, longer lasting plant displays. Commercial interior landscapers will have fewer customer complaints, fewer plant replacements and improved operating margins.

Planter containing two 17cm Aglaonema plants set up in a vulcaponic system. These are typically watered every 5 - 6 weeks — Planter containing two 17cm Aglaonema plants set up in a vulcaponic system. These are typically watered every 5 – 6 weeks

The downsides

Vulcaponics are not a panacea, but the system is ideal for small and medium-sized plants (up to about 2m in height). Really large plants are still better off in a decent soil-based compost. The main disadvantages are:

Vulcaponic substrate is heavy, so you must ensure that any plant containers, or furniture that they are placed on, can take the extra weight.
Compared with lightweight compost media, vulcaponic substrate can be pricey. However, the benefits outweigh the initial expense quite quickly
When planting mixtures of plants in a large container, it is important to ensure that the plants have a similar rootball depth
For deeper plant containers, you will have to use a liner – you don’t want more than 5 – 8cm depth of vulcaponic substrate under the rootball, otherwise the water will not rise far enough

Diagram showing The problems associated with using different-sized plants in a mixed planter when using the vulcaponic system — The problems associated with using different-sized plants in a mixed planter when using the vulcaponic system

Want to learn more?

If you are an interior landscaper interested in discovering more about vulcaponics, please get in touch. I’d be happy to discuss the system and I offer a training programme on this subject.

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Where do you have your best ideas?

Isaac Newton's garden in Lincolnshire showing the famous apple tree which inspired his theories of gravity — Isaac Newton’s garden at Woolsthorpe Manor, Lincolnshire

Did Isaac Newton contemplate the laws of gravity in meeting room 13N.21? No, of course not – he was famously in his garden in Lincolnshire.

What about Barnes Wallis? The idea of the Bouncing Bomb (of Dambusters fame) didn’t happen in a ‘collaboration zone’, but when skimming a stone across a lake. And Darwin didn’t come up with his theories of evolution in the confines of a meeting pod – his gardens at Down House, in Kent were his place of contemplation.

The poetry of Wordsworth wasn’t written as a result of sitting at a hot desk in a downtown office block, Hippocrates contemplated his theories of medicine sitting under a tree in the market place of Kos, and Archimedes had his eureka moment whilst having a bath.

There are innumerable examples of new ideas being inspired by something an inventor, philosopher, author or artist encountered outside of what we now regard as the workplace. Yet, if we were to believe the social media posts of commercial interior designers, or the marketing spin of companies boasting about how they have reimagined the workplace, you might think that we are entering a new golden age of discovery through the medium of office design.

We are certainly seeing more technology and a much wider range of space types inside office buildings (often supposedly to foster a sense of collaboration and creativity), and there is certainly a greater understanding of the principles and benefits (if not the application) of biophilic design.

The benefits of biophilic design in the workplace are becoming mainstream. The idea that bringing a sense of nature into our workplaces to support wellbeing and improve organizational outcomes is supported by a growing body of research, much of which has been referenced in some of my previous posts, and it is certainly true that you are more likely to be creative in a well designed, nature-inspired office space than in a sleek, bleak monochrome box.

Open plan office space — A creative space?

It is interesting to note that in many businesses, there is a lot of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitudes from business leaders. As an office worker, you may be expected to be seen in the office and to make use of the investments made in design, but leadership ‘retreats’, often in nice country houses or rural resorts, are still common. They are justified on the grounds that such places, away from the distractions of the office (and annoying colleagues), are ideal for strategizing and creativity.

There are many good reasons why that might be true: I have written about why meeting rooms might not be so great for making important decisions because the elevated carbon dioxide levels found in such spaces can cause drowsiness and affect cognitive ability. Being away from distractions (or allowing yourself to be distracted by something divorced from normal work activities) is also great for thinking, and you never know where you might find inspiration. Being outdoors can certainly help – separating yourself from sources of stress and discomfort, and stimulating your senses by immersing yourself in fresh air and the sights, sounds and smells of nature can be inspiring.

Needless to say, hiring a resort is never going to be a cost effective solution to the needs of day-to-day creativity and imagination, but there are things you can do.

View of a lake and trees — A good place to think

Go for a walk. Even if you work in an urban area, a short walk in the neighbourhood can be a useful break from the distractions of the office. In the UK, most people can get so some sort of green space within a few minutes.
Whilst you are on your walk, look around and look up – and take out your earphones.
Outdoor meetings are also worth trying. Again, the conscious act of taking yourself and colleagues away from the office gives space to think without fear of interruption.
If you work from home and have a garden, that is a good place for thinking time, or even for taking a coffee break.

Human beings are a uniquely creative species, and we are able to gain inspiration from the most unexpected places. And whilst variety and a wide range of work settings now found in modern offices are to be welcomed (management permitting, of course), confining ourselves to one space for work isn’t going to be enough to unleash inspiration and creativity.

biophilic design hybrid working interior landscaping plants wellbeing WFH

Office plants when offices are empty? How interior landscapers can adapt to a rapidly evolving workplace environment

Even before the pandemic, the nature of office work was changing. There was an increasing shift to creating more purpose-based workspaces that accommodated different styles of activity, such as collaborative working or quiet focused work. This also led to an increase in the use of non-allocated desks (let alone private offices), so there was no guarantee, or expectation, that an office user would be at the same desk every hour of every day.

Then, the pandemic forced huge numbers of office workers to work from home, and many of them found it preferable. This has led to a rise in hybrid working, but has also acted as a catalyst for evolution of workplace design.

A decade’s-worth of change seems to have happened in about 18 months and many employers have completely remodelled their office space as a result: partly to attract workers back to the office by making them more comfortable and homely, and partly to adapt them to new ways of working.

However, with all the changes in workspace design, many offices are still less than half full for several days a week. A recent report quoted in The Guardian suggests that the Monday to Friday office occupancy rate across the UK is 29% for the first three months of 2023, and slightly less in London, compared with typical pre-pandemic levels of 60%-80% (according to data from Remit Consulting).

Empty open-plan office — Where is everyone?

As a result of this, it is quite likely that suppliers of business-to-business (B2B) services are going to be impacted. Those companies selling discretionary B2B services, such as interior landscaping (my area of interest), are probably going to be especially exposed.

B2B companies that already have a nicely diverse mix of customers in terms of sector, size, and geography are probably going to be able to absorb some of the possible shocks, for reasons I’ll discuss later. However, those that are heavily dependent on one part of the marketplace, such as large corporate offices, might find themselves living in ‘interesting times.’ This is especially true where B2B service providers are not a directly-employed contractor, but appointed by a facilities management company.

What does this mean for interior landscapers?

The benefits of interior landscaping and workplace wellbeing are pretty much understood and accepted, so I don’t think there will be a large-scale chuck-out of plants as a cost-saving measure that we have seen in the past (such as the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis). However, if offices are only – on average – one third full, then it stands to reason that there will be a significant reduction in the floor space needed for organizations. Those empty floors won’t need plants, art, ambient scenting or coffee machines.

There is an upside for those businesses agile and imaginative to grasp the opportunities. Those office workers not commuting as often will still be working somewhere – and not necessarily at home. They will probably be spending more time working in places such as local co-working venues (several being set up in the suburbs and small satellite towns), coffee shops, or even in hotel lounges. All of these settings (often called third spaces) would certainly benefit from some nice plants – ideally supplied and maintained by a good interior landscaper. By offering their services to these spaces, interior landscapers can ensure that their plants continue to be seen and appreciated by workers, even if they are not based in a traditional office environment.

People working in a coffee shop — Photo by Marcus Aurelius on Pexels.com

Employers still have a duty of care

Even when the workforce is remote, employers still have a responsibility for the health, safety, and wellbeing of all their staff. It stands to reason that some of those discretionary B2B services could be reimagined as something to enhance wellbeing in the home working environment.

Many interior plant companies, especially those that have the infrastructure in place to deliver plant displays, could adapt quite quickly – some have already by offering mail order houseplants. Those companies could easily refine their offer by providing plants that are especially well suited to home working environments.

A well-designed home office

These could include plants that are easy to maintain (and maybe even be set up in such a way as to make plant care especially straightforward), and be properly matched to the home worker’s office environment. Advice and guidance on selecting the right plants for the space, together with instructions on plant care could be given, alongside tips on how to create a more effective home office space.

biophilic design interior landscaping

The Glasshouse. Helping ex-offenders into work in the interior landscaping industry

On the 8th March, Plants@Work (the UK trade association for the interior landscaping industry) was delighted to welcome Kali Hamerton-Stove of The Glasshouse to tell us about a project to help women ex-offenders back into employment through training, work experience and work placements in horticulture, especially interior landscaping and houseplant retail and mail order.

If you can spare half an hour, please watch the video of the presentation that Kali gave.

Having worked with The Glasshouse and some of the women in the project a few times, I can’t express enough how important this project is.

If you are a UK interior landscaper looking for new staff, please consider employing some of the Glasshouse alumni – they are trained in interior horticulture, highly motivated, have great personalities and have experience working in a wide variety of customer locations.

The Glasshouse’s interior current interior landscaping customers include businesses in financial services and hospitality.

Interior plants in a private members' club in London — An example of the work of The Glasshouse – the interior planting in a private members’ club in London, installed and maintained by women ex-offenders

air quality empowerment IAQ monitors plants wellbeing

You can’t manage indoor air quality without measuring it first

Lots of people are selling products that are supposed to improve indoor air quality. They may be air purifiers, filter systems, complex green walls or even pot plants. Many claims are made, but how do you know whether the systems you are buying are doing what you need them to do? This is where air quality monitoring comes into its own.

(By the way – I’m not trying to sell you an indoor air quality monitor, or any form of air purifier. However, I can help your business set up an IAQ monitoring project and even help you on your way to gaining a RESET certification for your buildings, which will also help you with WELL and Fitwel certifications – please get in touch if you want to know more).

Why monitor indoor air quality?

Good indoor air quality is often thought of subjectively. Human perception of good air quality is difficult as our senses evolved to deal with environments that were unpolluted. As long as we could detect smoke, which suggested an immediate threat (or, conversely, the possibility of a cooked meal and convivial company), air quality was not much of a concern to our plains-dwelling ancestors.

Inside buildings, we often only notice an issue with air quality when it directly affects our comfort. We might describe the air as heavy, fusty, stale or stuffy. Stuffiness (often as a result of elevated carbon dioxide from our exhalation, combined with warm temperatures and high humidity) can be alleviated by opening a window. Carbon dioxide (and airborne viruses, such as Covid-19) inside the building is diluted by bringing outside air in, and humidity and temperature might also be made more comfortable. This improvement to our comfort, achieved by a perceived improvement to indoor air quality, is not the whole story.

Opening the windows might risk exposure to other harms that are not readily detected by human senses. Fine particulates, volatile organic compounds or various oxides of nitrogen or sulphur are not usually detectable by human senses, so how do we know whether they are present?

Only by using calibrated IAQ monitors that measure, record and report key parameters of air quality can you then set out to manage air quality and reassure the users of the building that their safety and comfort is being looked after.

Without data from air monitoring, any management of indoor air quality is pretty-much based on guesswork, which is inadequate for the proper management of risk in a building.

My new white paper explains how and why organizations should develop an indoor air quality monitoring and management programme, which you can download here.

pp-white-paper-you-cant-manage-indoor-air-quality-without-measuring-it-first-1 Download

So, what is the solution?

It’s all about the senses

Privacy

Space

Lighting

Sounds

Smells

Temperature control

Textures

Furniture and accessories

The nature connection

… and how to reduce sensory overload

Provision for neurodiversity

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Indoor lighting has changed

So what?

Phytochromes

The Red:Far-Red (R:FR) ratio and interior landscaping

The built environment challenge

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Sense of connection

Ticking boxes

Be braver

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What has changed?

Offices and rainforests have a lot in common. The natural origins of indoor plants

The differences between a houseplant and an interior landscape plant

Where to learn more

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Interior landscapers: you have options

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The science behind non-rhythmic sensory stimuli

Psychological and emotional benefits

Cognitive and productivity benefits

Practical applications in the built environment

I can help you with your biophilic designs

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Does the green part of biophilic design create a net benefit to our environment?

What about other countries?

Reasons to be cheerful

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What is evidence-based design?

Five-step approach to evidence-based guided design

Step 1: setting the intent and identifying needs

Step 2: surveys and initial data

Step 3: consultation and engagement

Step 4: design

Step 5: Follow-up and continuous review

How will you know whether an environment is successful?

Big Brother is watching you

Mapping survey data to culture, demographics and location: unveiling the nuances

The benefits of longitudinal studies

Hidden gems

Measuring the right thing!

Add value to your interior design

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So, what is a vulcaponic growing system?

What are the benefits?

The downsides

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What does this mean for interior landscapers?

Employers still have a duty of care

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Why monitor indoor air quality?

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