Plants and health
Various studies conducted by scientists demonstrate that plants promote a healthier living and working environment. The Flower Council of Holland has published much on this phenomenon and the ‘Plants for People' project has manifestly proved the beneficial effect plants have on the working environment.
The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) ‘Quality of Life’ division has issued advice, based on research, that there should be one large plant for every two employees or one large plant for every 12 m2 of office space. It is also important that the plants are spread evenly throughout the entire organisation so that all employees can benefit. The placement of plants reduces health and fatigue-related problems, particularly in the case of tired and stressed workers. One noticeable finding of the research is that the productivity of test subjects that performed creative tasks in a space of approximately 12m2 that contained one large plant was higher than test subjects working in an identical office space without plants.
TNO was commissioned to conduct the study by the Product Board for Horticulture (Productschap Tuinbouw) in collaboration with the interior plant division of the VHG. For more information, go to http://www.healthygreenatwork.org/.
