No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Review of the effects of plants on indoor environments
Abstract
Although well-established technologies can remove certain toxins from indoor environments, methods capable of eliminating all of them do not yet exist. Biological methods, however, which are based on plants and their associated microorganisms, could hold significant promise. To achieve high toxic remediation, utilization of the soil microorganisms in the root zone of the plant is vital. Moreover, evidence suggests that in addition to cleaning the air, plants in indoor environments offer psychological, physiological and cognitive benefits. This paper provides an overview of the effects of plants on indoor air quality on the broader benefits of incorporating vegetation into indoor environments.
... Indoor plants serve as an effective solution by bridging the gap between nature and healthcare settings, replicating the benefits associated with outdoor green spaces. Plants have the potential to improve air quality, lower stress levels, boost cognitive function, and enhance well-being (Aydogan and Cerone 2020;Elsadek et al. 2012). Moreover, the presence of plants creates a pleasant and relaxing environment, thereby leading to heightened satisfaction and productivity (Raanaas et al. 2011). ...
... Furthermore, indoor plants have demonstrated significant positive impacts on mental and physical health in various environments, including homes, schools, and hospitals (Aydogan and Cerone 2020;Elsadek and Liu 2020;Han et al. 2022;Li and Sullivan 2016;Park and Mattson 2008). Their advantages extend beyond the workplace environment. ...
Patient recovery and well-being in healthcare settings can be influenced by various factors, including the stress induced by hospitalization and medical care. This study investigated the impact of indoor plants on patient recovery in dental clinics using state-of-the-art techniques to address the limited evidence supporting the claim that nature can alleviate stress and pain in hospitals. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to either a room with indoor plants or a control room without plants for a duration of 5 minutes after their treatment. Physiological responses were assessed using electroencephalography (EEG), heart rate variability, and skin conductance, whereas psychological responses were evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and a visual analogue scale (VAS). The results revealed a significant increase in alpha wave power in the frontal region, indicating enhanced relaxation, as well as a significant increase in parasympathetic activity, suggesting improved autonomic balance. Furthermore, a significant decrease in skin conductance was observed when indoor plants were present compared with their absence, indicating reduced physiological arousal. Psychological assessments using the STAI demonstrated lower levels of stress and anxiety, whereas the VAS indicated reduced pain intensity among participants. Overall, these findings suggest that the presence of indoor plants contributes to patients’ relaxation and improved coping mechanisms during the recovery process. This study highlights the significance of incorporating indoor plants into healthcare settings to enhance patients’ overall well-being and promote positive recovery outcomes.
... Moreover, C. comosum was recommended to be used for formaldehyde purification, even at high concentrations such as 15 mg m −3 [14]. Although the formaldehyde removing plants have been intensively studied under varied environmental conditions, including different HCHO concentrations and times of exposure, indoor temperature, relative humidity, and illumination, the physiological and biochemical bases of HCHO phytoremediation and metabolism, as well as plant defense responses to this compound have not been fully elucidated [8,15,16]. Until now, it has been established that in plants, formaldehyde is mainly metabolized in the cells of leaf palisade and sponge tissues, in the mesophyll, and compounds and enzymes which are the first to bind and convert formaldehyde are localized mainly in the cytoplasm [17]. The main mechanism of formaldehyde loss in plants is its decomposition in plant tissue caused by enzyme and redox reaction [18]. ...
... The same commercially available substrate was used in other studies [39]. The plants were cultured under a controlled environment, in a growth room, at the temperature of 23 ± 0.5 • C with 16 [40]. The pH of the nutrient solution was adjusted to 6.4 using 0.1M KOH or HCl solution. ...
Chlorophytum comosum L. plants are known to effectively absorb air pollutants, including formaldehyde (HCHO). Since the metabolic and defense responses of C. comosum to HCHO are poorly understood, in the present study, biochemical changes in C. comosum leaves induced by 48 h exposure to exogenous HCHO, applied as 20 mg m−3, were analyzed. The observed changes showed that HCHO treatment caused no visible harmful effects on C. comosum leaves and seemed to be effectively metabolized by this plant. HCHO application caused no changes in total chlorophyll (Chl) and Chl a content, increased Chl a/b ratio, and decreased Chl b and carotenoid content. HCHO treatment affected sugar metabolism, towards the utilization of sucrose and synthesis or accumulation of glucose, and decreased activities of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, suggesting that these enzymes do not play any pivotal role in amino acid transformations during HCHO assimilation. The total phenolic content in leaf tissues did not change in comparison to the untreated plants. The obtained results suggest that HCHO affects nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism, effectively influencing photosynthesis, shortly after plant exposure to this volatile compound. It may be suggested that the observed changes are related to early HCHO stress symptoms or an early step of the adaptation of cells to HCHO treatment. The presented results confirm for the first time the direct influence of short time HCHO exposure on the studied parameters in the C. comosum plant leaf tissues.
... Since then, we have made a column graphic using only the removal data [36], which have the same units to summarize the removal efficiency of plants for some indoor pollutants (Figure 14-16 Although it has been inferred that plants give us clean indoor air from the considerable research collection, the research is still limited. The experiments were conducted in sealed and controlled chambers [98]. The conditions within sealed chambers do not scale up to those of natural indoor environments, which have high AER (air exchange rate), large volumes, and persistent VOC emissions. ...
Air quality, both outdoor and indoor, is the most critical element that we must protect for the entire environment. While the deterioration of air quality primarily causes respiratory diseases in living things, it also causes corrosive effects on nonliving things, such as corrosion caused by acid rain, which results from air pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor and prevent air pollution by various methods. WHO plays an active role in protecting air quality through its mission. Plants are indispensable beings for the environment and life. They balance the CO2 concentration, temperature, and humidity in the air. Plants use CO2, light, and water during photosynthesis, which is necessary for their growth and development. They reduce the CO2 concentration in the environment. In addition, plants, depending on their leaf characteristics, can trap particulate matter in the atmosphere. Many studies have proven that plants positively affect indoor and outdoor air quality. In this review, we aim to summarize the results of some selected studies, provide information about the air purification capacities of the researched plants, and emphasize the topic's importance.
... Planning. There is a growing consensus that structures and living environments designed with biophilic principles could enhance people's connection with the natural world, providing a multitude of health benefits [149][150][151]. Natural ventilation, natural lighting, organic shapes (which occur naturally), and natural settings are the foundational components of biophilic design, as presented in Figure 4. ...
Since most people spend more time at work in recent times, this has led to more workplace issues and health problems. The well-being of occupants and their overall health are strongly impacted by factors that determine the standard of indoor environments. These factors include the air quality, the level of thermal comfort, the inclusion of indoor plants, the admission of daylighting, and a variety of other factors. The absence of any of these may result in sick building syndrome (SBS). Therefore, well-planned indoor workspaces are vital for occupants’ health and productivity at work. The aim of this article is to investigate proactive measures for mitigating SBS in office buildings located within universities in the United Kingdom. The study administered a questionnaire to gather perceptions of office occupants, followed by a comparative case study analysis of two office buildings at the University of Greenwich located on different campuses to highlight the correlation among the physical parameters of indoor office spaces and the occurrence of SBS. The results showed that a notable percentage of participants reported experiencing at least two symptoms of SBS. This study provided clear evidence that symptoms of SBS are primarily associated with the physical characteristics of the building, and these elements significantly influence the occupants’ experiences. The mitigation of potential adverse effects on the well-being of inhabitants during the operating phase of a building resulting from physical variables can be achieved by the implementation of conscious design considerations during the initial planning stages of future buildings. One of the practical implications of this study is that it raises the urgency for built environment professionals to be fully aware of how their design decisions could either contribute to or prevent SBS symptoms.
... In pursuit of a sustainable way to enhance the quality of the interior environment, researchers opted for a variety of indoor plants. Their explorations primarily centred around extensive studies probing the phytoremediation (plants use clean up polluted air) effects of plants, specifically targeting the reduction of particulate matter (PM) levels [2][3][4][5][6][7] and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). Commencing with closed chamber experiments in controlled environments [8][9][10][11][12][13][14], these studies subsequently transitioned into real-world settings [15][16][17][18]. ...
... Aydoğan et al. argue that biological methods based on plants and their associated microorganisms offer a promising solution to eliminate toxins from indoor environments. They discuss the psychological, physiological, and cognitive benefits of incorporating vegetation into indoor environments and cleaning the air [26]. ...
It is known that people generally spend 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, indoor air quality is a major concern for many people. Building materials play an important role in indoor air quality. Therefore, this study evaluates the role of building materials in IAQ by conducting a bibliometric analysis of articles from the Web of Science Core Collection and utilizing VOSviewer software to analyze publications from 2010 to 2023, focusing on the citation, year, country, and keywords co-occurrence. The analysis reveals key trends and gaps in the literature, highlighting the predominance of specific materials and pollutants. It also highlights that variability in building parameters makes attributing pollution sources difficult and underlines the need for context-specific assessments. These findings underscore the critical need to prioritize IAQ in building design and management to ensure safe and healthy indoor environments. This study manifests by methodologically mapping the research landscape on building materials and IAQ, guiding future empirical research.
... Sustainable Cleaning Avoid harsh chemical odors through sustainable cleaning practices and material selection. [72][73][74] Natural Materials Incorporate natural materials like wood and stone into the design for a connection with the natural world. [75,76] Heating System Floor heating system to maintain a constant laboratory temperature. ...
This article explores the growing prominence of nature-inspired design philosophies in the context of sustainability and human well-being within the built environment and focuses on their application within laboratory buildings. Biomimicry and biophilic design are highlighted as key nature-inspired design approaches, with biomimicry drawing inspiration from nature for innovations and biophilic design promoting human health through enhancing the connection with the surrounding natural elements. This paper further discusses living building strategy as an emerging method for creating dynamic and adaptable spaces by prioritizing user experience through co-creation and focusing on sustainable and regenerative structures. The potential of integrating these approaches is emphasized using laboratory buildings as an example, with nature-inspired and living laboratories serving as models for future built environments that promote both environmental responsibility and a positive human experience. Accordingly, this work aims to investigate the design and construction of laboratory buildings based on nature-inspired design strategies and the living building concept. Moreover, the paper discusses the application of biomimicry and living building concepts within laboratory buildings as a novel contribution to the body of knowledge, and concludes by proposing the Nature-inspired & Living Laboratory (NILL 1.0) TM Building Assessment index to serve as a guideline for the design and construction of laboratory buildings using nature as an inspiration and the analogy of human body systems.
... This, in turn, can harm productivity, job satisfaction and the overall well-being of employees [5,6]. Indoor plants have been suggested as an alternative or additional approach to mechanical ventilation systems to address these issues [7]. Indoor plants are affordable and can enhance the aesthetics of indoor spaces. ...
This experimental study investigates the influence of indoor plants on three aspects of air quality in office spaces: relative humidity, indoor air temperature, and carbon dioxide concentration. Employing a Latin square design, we rotated three different treatments across three offices over six time periods. These treatments included a control (no plants), a low-volume treatment (five plants), and a high-volume treatment (eighteen plants) of Nephrolepis exaltata (Boston fern). Air quality parameters were continuously monitored at five-minute intervals using Trace Gas Analyzers. Generalised linear mixed modelling (GLMM) was employed to examine the effect of each treatment on relative humidity, indoor air temperature and CO2 concentration. We observed a significant positive correlation between the number of indoor plants and relative humidity levels. In offices without any plants, the median relative humidity was 29.1%. This increased to 38.9% in offices with 5 plants and further to 49.2% in offices with 18 plants. However, we did not find significant associations between the number of indoor plants and indoor air temperature or corrected CO2 concentration. Our research provides support for the use of indoor plants to increase relative humidity, which can have health benefits in dry climates, but does not provide support for using indoor plants to regulate indoor air temperatures or CO2 concentration in office environments.
... Different research on biophilic design cites studies in restorative environments and claims that biophilic elements could improve the restorativeness of the built environment (e.g., Joye, 2007;Gray and Birrell, 2014;Ryan et al., 2014). However, if the effect of natural elements (e.g., plants and nature view from windows) on stress and cognitive functioning has been largely investigated (Gritzka et al., 2020;Aydogan and Cerone, 2021), few research studies have explored the effect of the others biophilic elements (Gillis and Gatersleben, 2015). As an example of the application of this framework in designing a workplace environment, Pasini et al. (2021) conducted a research project on biophilic design's impact on workplace wellbeing. ...
University students are likely to encounter mental health issues throughout their educational journey. Among the various factors that can impact students’ wellbeing, the physical environment can potentially restore cognitive, physiological, and emotional resources, thereby enhancing academic performance, and overall quality of life, while reducing feelings of stress and depression. The Perceived Restorativeness Scale is the most commonly used tool to assess the level of restorativeness derived from the educational physical environment. However, a tailored measure could be a more psychometrically suitable approach to capture the context-specific characteristics of university environments for academic students. This study aimed to validate an instrument that can accurately evaluate university spaces to measure the perceived restorativeness of university students. A total sample of 685 students from two Italian universities participated in the evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Restorativeness at University scale (Rest@US), consisting of 13 items divided into four dimensions: fascination, being-away, scope, and coherence. The hypothesised four-factor model (being-away, fascination, scope, and coherence) demonstrated excellent fit indices in both the calibration and validation samples and was invariant for sex. The scale demonstrates good reliability. Furthermore, criterion validity has been confirmed, highlighting that, in a theoretically consistent manner, the perceived restorativeness of university physical environments from the point of view of students and its dimensions were negatively correlated with techno-overload and study-related workload and positively correlated with perceived performance and psycho-physical wellbeing.
... Various strategies have been proposed to mitigate these symptoms, including ergonomic interventions in layout (Besharati, Daneshmandi, Zareh, Fakherpour, & Zoaktafi, 2020), cleaning practices (Belachew et al., 2018), ventilation control (Wen et al., 2020), introduction of plants into the environment (Aydogan & Cerone, 2021), promotion of personal control (Sakellaris et al., 2019), as well as improvement in lighting and sound insulation levels (Abdou, Kim, & Bande, 2020). SBS has been a topic of growing concern, especially with the spotlight on health issues related to indoor environments during the COVID-19 pandemic (Cheng et al., 2022;Niza, de Souza, da Luz, & Broday, 2024). ...
People spend a significant amount of time indoors, being exposed to situations that might lead to discomfort, illness and loss of productivity. This study addressed the symptoms reported by employees of office spaces within an educational building, focusing on sick building syndrome (SBS), a set of symptoms experienced by occupants of buildings without a known cause. Volunteers were asked to complete a questionnaire reporting their symptoms during the workday. After data collection, hierarchical and two-step clustering were applied to assess the symptoms reported. The main results found were: (I) around 43.06% of people reported at least one symptom of SBS; (II) two-step clustering analysis showed that the main predictive symptoms are blurred vision, eye irritation, exhaustion, drowsiness and weakness; (III) hierarchical clustering analysis observed a high probability of simultaneous symptoms such as exhaustion and drowsiness, nasal irritation or itching and runny nose. At the same time, cough and shortness of breath showed a lower probability; (IV) the dendrogram formed a group predominantly linked to respiratory symptoms and another related to throat and skin symptoms; (V) the application of cluster analysis has the potential to describe the patterns and groups of identified symptoms accurately. Additionally, the research presented several contributions, such as identifying the most severe symptoms requiring immediate mitigation actions and enabling decisions related to employees’ health and well-being by implementing preventive measures to promote a healthier environment.
... Despite a large body of research confirming the emotional, physical, and cognitive benefits of engaging with the natural environment and plants, whether indoors or outdoors (Aydogan & Cerone, 2021;Barbiero, Berto, Venturella, & Maculan, 2021;Kuo, 2015;Kuo, Barnes, & Jordan, 2019;M. Lee, J. Lee, Park, & Miyazaki, 2015), there is still a lack of teaching examples. ...
The pedagogy of listening, which originated in the Reggio Emilia approach and is known for the promotion of discussion and democratic participation, serves as the basis for exploring the integration of plants as educational resources. This study aims to elucidate behaviors, methods, and interpretations related to plant-based education through individual interviews with teachers and educators in formal and informal contexts. The interviews will explore the influence of adults on children in relation to plants, examining the impact of time on strategies and the role of listening. The findings could identify factors that influence educators' planning and potentially shift perspectives by recognising plants as "sensitive" entities. Documenting educators' efforts in plant-based education could be crucial, providing a repository of innovative ideas to influence curricula and teaching methods. This study argues for a paradigm shift in education towards the promotion of sustainability and the consideration of the needs of all living beings.
... -Toxicity -Allergenicity -Effects on regulating temperature and humidity [33,58,59] (continued on next page) of other natural elements, patterns, features, and interactions with 'nature' [10][11][12]. In practice, the richness of biophilic design elements can support the understanding of 'nature' and improve the quality of green pockets in terms of architectural design [22]. ...
With the growing interest in biophilic design for health, well-being, and sustainability, a large variety of plant-integrated building designs have emerged over the past two decades. The integration of plants into buildings is complex because it requires an in-depth understanding of various challenges and considerations. Current guidelines are mostly limited to two-dimensional green surfaces (e.g. green roofs and walls) and are inadequate for richer types of three-dimensional (3D) green spaces. This study aimed to identify the key requirements for creating 3D green spaces (termed ‘green pockets’) in buildings and to develop tailored guidelines for green pockets regarding building technologies, plant configurations, and maintenance. A mixed-method approach including case studies, interviews, site observations, and document analysis was used to examine three representative examples of green pockets in biophilic buildings. We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and experts involved in these projects, including the clients, designers, engineers, advisors, and property managers. Based on the findings, we developed a framework to guide green pocket design with key considerations for practical applications. We compiled implementation guidelines covering the construction criteria and technical installations, suggestions for plant selection and arrangement, and maintenance actions for the lasting operation of green pockets. This research is significant in providing design teams and decision-makers with a reference guide for implementing biophilic design in architectural practices, helping them understand the complex challenges of green pocket designs and collaborate on solutions to optimise performance in actual use. The research also stimulates further exploration of more sustainable ‘green’ architecture.
... In particular, the hypothesis that plant root-associated microorganisms could metabolize airborne chemicals at a rate that might alter human exposure to pollutants and change health outcomes rests upon multiple assumptions, many of which have not yet been sufficiently scrutinized. Simultaneously, however, the body of literature outlining the multitude of negative impacts inhabitable urban spaces can have on human health through poor air and microbiome quality grows every year, and urban bioremediation infrastructure is still often proposed as a solution to a myriad of environmental quality challenges (Aydogan and Cerone 2020;Han and Ruan 2020;Matheson et al. 2023;Pettit et al. 2020). The urgency is understandable. ...
Urban inhabitants spend upwards of 90% of their time indoors where building design and mechanical air-handling systems negatively impact air quality, microbiome diversity and health outcomes. Urban bioremediation infrastructure designed to improve indoor environmental quality by drawing air through photosynthesizing plants and metabolically diverse rhizospheres have been investigated since the 1960s; however, in-depth analysis of the potential impacts on indoor environments is required: (1) although recent evidence has illustrated human microbiome alteration and associated health benefits related to exposure to green wall systems, the mechanism(s) of diversification have not yet been established, (2) microbial metabolism and airborne chemical dynamics are extraordinarily complex and hypotheses pertaining to rhizosphere microorganisms metabolizing pollutants require more attention. To explore these areas, we applied a shotgun metagenomic approach to quantify microbial diversity and establish preliminary metabolic profiles within active green wall modules spanning a range of growth media and plant selections. Results indicate that fundamental design decisions, including hydroponic vs. organic growth media, support rhizosphere microbiomes with distinct diversity and metabolic profiles which could impact system performance. The described relationships indicate fundamental green infrastructure design represents an opportunity to “grow” indoor microbial diversity and metabolisms with potential benefits for human pollutant exposure and health outcomes.
... While the initial proposal was to use plants as practical alternatives to facilitate physical distancing, the underlying rationale went beyond mere functional considerations. Indeed, the deeper purpose was to consider how the introduction of plants into indoor spaces could not only make academic and school environments more inviting and resilient (Aydogan & Cerone, 2021), but more importantly, to cultivate close relationships with plants that evoke emotional and affective dimensions. This deliberate integration of indoor nature was also intended to strengthen bonds of care and foster a sense of discovery (Goleman et al., 2012). ...
... The biofilm community provided protective effects and vitamins to the host plant and repelled other microorganisms from attaching to the plant surface, thus avoiding the colonization of pathogenic microorganisms (Hasler et al. 2017;Liu et al. 2021b). Additionally, certain attached microorganisms could produce toxins that inhibited the growth of submerged plants (Aydogan and Cerone 2021). Sequencing of biofilm communities showed that the phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Cyanobacteria were dominant (Chen et al. 2020). ...
The microorganisms and functional predictions of leaf biofilms on submerged plants (Vallisneria natans (Val)) and in water samples (surface water (S) and bottom water (B)) in different seasons were evaluated in this study. S and B groups had 3249 identical operational taxonomic units (OTUs) (50.03%), while the Val group only had 1201 (18.49%) unique OTUs. There was significant overlap between microbial communities of S and B groups in the same season, while Val group showed the greater diversity. The dominant microbial clades were Proteobacteria (18.2-47.3%), Cyanobacteria (3.74-39.3%), Actinobacteria (1.64-29.3%), Bacteroidetes (1.31-21.7%), and Firmicutes (1.10-15.72%). Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between total organic carbon and the distribution of microbial taxa (p = 0.047), and TN may have altered the status of Cyanobacteria by affecting its biological nitrogen fixation capacity and reproductive capacity. The correlation network analysis results showed that the whole system consisted of 249 positive correlations and 111 negative correlations, indicating strong interactions between microbial communities. Functional predictions indicated that microbial functions were related to seasonal variation. These findings would guide the use of submerged plants to improve the diversity and stability of wetland microbial communities.
... [34] Promote health and well-being Good health and well-being are achieved through a healthy indoor environment with ergonomic design and non-toxic environmental materials that help prevent disease transmission, increase recovery rates, reduce stress, and promote positive emotions. [37] Education Quality Quality in education is achieved through the quality of performance in learning environments as well as through attention and memory recall. Elements of biophilic design that help overcome this challenge are air, end light, plants, and landscaping. ...
Humans are biologically connected to nature physically, psychologically, and spiritually. biophilic design is a new design approach to integrating natural elements into built environments to enhance human mental health, productivity, and well-being. There is still a need for more application of biophilic design in residential units and to enhance communication between humans and nature due to its positive effects on human health. This is due to the importance of the effective role of interior design by incorporating biophilic design elements into the design of residential environments. The author conducted a systematic review and analysis of the literature to understand the relationship between the application of biophilic design and its impact in various built environment activities on human health, well-being, and productivity. This study focused on using the descriptive analytical approach to collect information on biophilic design, its elements, and its various applications, and to study and analyze the opinions, needs, and suggestions of the respondents on the questionnaire survey to reveal the differences and similarities in detail through the author's use of the five-point Likert scale to measure the responses to the sections of the questionnaire survey. The results of the data analysis indicated the effectiveness of integrating bio-design in the design of housing units to improve human mental health and well-being, given the existence of a statistically close and direct relationship between man and nature. This study proposes to support positive interaction between man and nature in order to encourage a sense of responsibility towards society and nature and to continuously improve the quality of the indoor environment in residential units by integrating biophilic design elements for a healthy indoor environment.
... This condition was found to be the same for family and living rooms designed with fully potting and multiple potting configurations. The integration of plant-based systems into interior spaces of urban buildings is particularly important to produce viable fresh air [48]. Moreover, edible plants can also be used as biowalls in restaurants to offer an impression of a fresh supply of vegetables and an exciting background for diners [3]. ...
... Especially regarding the effect of plants on indoor air quality. in their article, Deng L and Deng Q describe the role and importance of indoor plants in human health and comfort [7]. Indoor plants have an indirect and subconscious psychological effect on task performance, health, and stress levels. ...
This study aims to examine the application of greenery and plants in the interior of a restaurant cafe. Today's cafes not only sell the taste of food but also have to attract the attention of customers with their unique interiors. Greenery and plants are now an essential element in the interior and influence its form and use. In this study, the method used is a descriptive method with a qualitative approach, with observation techniques, namely direct observation in the field. This research uses Jardin Cafe as a case study because Jardin Cafe is a Cafe Restaurant whose interior elements are dominated by plants and greenery. The results of this study indicate that the application of plants as a dominant interior treatment on the ceiling, walls and floor at Jardin Cafe Bandung can strengthen the concept of space carried by the cafe to create a comfortable, organized, and unique atmosphere. The application of green systems and plants also impacts the forms and materials of existing interiors and buildings. Green systems and plants are essential elements in interiors and buildings. They need to be evaluated from the beginning of the design to minimize side effects on the plant, such as consideration and maintenance will reduce adverse side effects to the plant. The existence of a system of greenery and plants has a significant impact on the interior and form of existing buildings and the use of materials.
... Zhong et al. (2022) provide a comprehensive review of how biophilic design can also have positive implications for sustainable architecture and improve one's experience of a space [23]. For example, biophilic design can reduce materials and building costs [24], optimize air quality and thermal comfort [25][26][27], reduce stress [8], and provide psychological restoration [9,28,29]. Biophilic office spaces tend to reduce stress and improve occupants' satisfaction and cognitive performance [30]. ...
The influence of nature on occupant well-being and performance has been proved in office, hospital, and educational settings. There is evidence that plants and green colors affect creative and psychological responses. The microalgae facade in the study integrated spirulina, blue-green microalgae, which were cultivated using natural daylight and room air. While a good body of research explores nature’s impact on people, research on microalgae systems has not been linked to creative performance. This pilot study, therefore, focused on how the microalgae facade influences occupant mood and creativity. Forty architecture students were randomly assigned to the control and experimental rooms. The control group was surveyed in a room with a traditional window, whereas the experimental group was surveyed in a room with a biochromic window. Research design for the two conditions remained the same under IEQ-controlled environments except for the inclusion of the microalgae facade. Forty architecture students completed two creativity tasks—alternative use test (AUT) and remote association test (RAT)—and brainstorming for sustainable design in control and experimental settings. Our preliminary findings indicate that the microalgae facade did not affect divergent ideas and convergent thinking during tasks, but participants in the microalgae façade developed more design solutions that included greenery than students in the control space. This research is a preliminary investigation into the human impact of a microalgae façade and represents a new focus for scientific research. More work is needed to better grasp to what extent implementing a microalgae façade will impact human behavior in space.
... Keeping indoor potted plants is common across the world and has recently increased in popularity [1,2]. Indoor plants may provide various benefits, including perceived air quality improvement, interior aesthetics, and psychological and cognitive health benefits [3][4][5][6][7]. It has been speculated that potted houseplants may also contribute to the diversity of plant-and soil-associated microorganisms encountered by building occupants [8], which may impact the human immune system or reduce risk of chronic disorders, such as allergies and asthma [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. ...
Background
Plants are found in a large percentage of indoor environments, yet the potential for bacteria associated with indoor plant leaves and soil to colonize human skin remains unclear. We report results of experiments in a controlled climate chamber to characterize bacterial communities inhabiting the substrates and leaves of five indoor plant species, and quantify microbial transfer dynamics and residence times on human skin following simulated touch contact events. Controlled bacterial propagule transfer events with soil and leaf donors were applied to the arms of human occupants and repeatedly measured over a 24-h period using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.
Results
Substrate samples had greater biomass and alpha diversity compared to leaves and baseline skin bacterial communities, as well as dissimilar taxonomic compositions. Despite these differences in donor community diversity and biomass, we observed repeatable patterns in the dynamics of transfer events. Recipient human skin bacterial communities increased in alpha diversity and became more similar to donor communities, an effect which, for soil contact only, persisted for at least 24 h. Washing with soap and water effectively returned communities to their pre-perturbed state, although some abundant soil taxa resisted removal through washing.
Conclusions
This study represents an initial characterization of bacterial relationships between humans and indoor plants, which represent a potentially valuable element of biodiversity in the built environment. Although environmental microbiota are unlikely to permanently colonize skin following a single contact event, repeated or continuous exposures to indoor biodiversity may be increasingly relevant for the functioning and diversity of the human microbiome as urbanization continues.
... Specifically, indoor plants can increase positive emotions (friendliness, kindness, happiness, cheerfulness, calmness, peacefulness, pleasantness, relaxation, and warmth), reduce negative psychological perceptions (stress and anxiety), and relieve physical discomfort. Aydogan and Cerone [21] summarized the physiological benefits of plants, including reduced illness and stress, decreased sick leave, and lowered mortality. In terms of cognitive performance, indoor plants are associated with reduced attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, reduced mental fatigue, and improved productivity and/or attitude. ...
This paper investigates and compares people’s subjective impression of an office with a biophilic design and blue lighting. Existing studies have examined their influence on perception separately, but how they compare is unclear. Additionally, only a few studies have used an office setting as a case study. To address this research gap, this study collected people’s ratings and rankings of four simulated interior scenes of a private office using an online survey. The scenes include blue lighting, a biophilic design with daylight and view, a biophilic design with indoor plants, and a non-biophilic baseline with conventional white lighting. A total of 284 complete responses were collected and analyzed using a mixed-effect model. It was found that the two biophilic designs improved people’s perception of the office compared to the base case. The biophilic design with access to daylight and view outperformed the space with indoor plants in all the examined perceptual categories, specifically how the office space was perceived by participants as brighter, more comfortable, and spacious. On the contrary, the space with blue lighting decreased people’s ratings in most perceptual attributes in comparison to the baseline. The negative influence was notably significant in how lively, comfortable, bright, and appealing the space was perceived as being by participants. Subjects’ preference rankings of the four simulated office spaces showed a similar pattern.
... Biophilia is a biological phenomenon of escaping the urban environment to nature by improving mood and mental and physical responses (Fromm, 1964). Plants have been widely used in indoor environments for psychological and physiological benefits (Mcsweeney et al., 2015;Chorong et al., 2016;Lee, 2020;Aydogan and Cerone, 2021). Epipremnum aureum is the most common plant in the indoor environment (Lee, 2020), removing volatile organic carcinogens at a reasonable rate (Zhang et al., 2019). ...
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home promotes the importance of indoor environment qualities. With the settings and functions of home offices, an experiment was carried out to determine the interaction effects between indoor plants and traffic noise levels (TNLs) on the performance and environmental evaluations of English reading comprehension tasks (ERCTs) and the performance of short-term breaks. A sample of 22 Chinese university students (12 males and 10 females) took part in the experiment. Two visual conditions (with and without plants) and five TNLs (i.e., 35, 45, 50, 55, and 60 dBA TNL) were included. Participants’ accuracy rates, eye movements, mental workload, and feelings about the environment were collected. The mental fatigue recovery (MFR), visual fatigue recovery (VFR), anxiety recovery (AR), and unfriendly recovery (UR) were measured for the analysis of a 5-min short-term break. The results demonstrate (1) plants have significant effects on ERCTs and short-term breaks, especially at 45 and 50 dBA TNL; (2) the effects of TNLs on ERCTs’ eye movements and work environment satisfaction differ by the presence of plants, e.g., the average pupil diameter (APD), lighting and layout satisfaction; (3) The effects of indoor plants on ERCT differ by the range of TNLs. In conclusion, indoor plants are beneficial to home workers engaged in ERCT when TNL does not exceed 50 dBA. The current data highlight the importance of audio-visual interaction in home offices and provide insights into the interaction mechanism between indoor plants and traffic noise.
... However, some of these techniques are often aimed at particulate matter (PM), are costly, and can remove only a restricted variety of VOCs, and may even produce harmful by-products in the process of removing air pollutants (Luengas et al. 2015;Lee et al. 2020). Phytoremediation has received extensive attention due to its effectiveness and convenience, environmental protection, economic, and social benefits, and when combined with architecture, the potential to achieve zero emissions (Aydogan and Cerone 2020). Studies have shown that indoor plants can significantly improve people's comfort levels, enthusiasm, and willingness to work, and may also reduce pain perception (Bandehali et al. 2021;Zuo et al. 2020). ...
Formaldehyde is a hazardous volatile organic compound (VOC) listed as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The active green wall system is a promising technology that utilizes active airflow passing through plants grown along a vertical alignment to increase their mass exposure to pollutants. However, few studies have investigated the effect of airflow rate on their efficacy for formaldehyde removal, and plant-mediated effects are unknown. This study assessed the formaldehyde removal ability of the active green wall using dynamic experiments. Three levels of airflow rate (30, 50, and 65 m3·h-1) and inlet formaldehyde concentration (1.0, 2.0, and 3.5 mg·m-3) were used and three plant species were investigated. The removal of formaldehyde by active green walls was significantly (P < 0.01) affected by the airflow rate, formaldehyde concentration, and plant species. The single pass removal efficiency varying from 38.18 to 94.42% decreased as the airflow rate and formaldehyde concentration increased. The elimination capacity varied from 189 to 1154 mg·m-2·h-1 and increased with the inlet formaldehyde loading rate. Significant differences in formaldehyde removal effectiveness among the plant species were observed with Chlorophytum comosum performing the best, followed by Schefflera octophylla, with Chamaedorea elegans being the worst.
... Indoor plants have been suggested as a potential solution for removing PM as well as other pollutants from indoor air [8][9][10][11][12][13]. The uptake of PM by plants may happen due to particle deposition on leaves, branches, and trunk surfaces [14][15][16] and absorption by the plants' ...
Particulate air pollution is a major health concern and is responsible for about one in nine premature deaths worldwide. Significant exposure to particulate matter (PM) may happen indoors because people spend a large fraction of their time inside buildings. Indoor plants have been suggested as a potential solution for removing PM; however, their effectiveness has not been well characterized. We quantified the ability of eleven different plant species to remove airborne PM through experiments conducted in an environmental chamber. By introducing PM into the chamber and measuring its removal rate with and without the plants, we estimated plants’ deposition velocities and clean air delivery rates (CADRs).
The average deposition velocities were 93 ± 9 cm/h for the moss plant, between 29 ± 3 cm/h to 37 ± 4 cm/h for the needle-leaved plants, and between 1 ± 2 cm/h to 13 ± 2 cm/h for the broad-leaved plants. Their CADRs were between 0.002 ± 0.004 m³/h to 0.084 ± 0.009 m³/h, which were significantly lower than those of filter-based air purifiers (CADRs = 170–800 m³/h), meaning that passive plant systems cannot compete with conventional air purifiers. We also found that large quantities of plants would be required to achieve even modest reductions in indoor PM concentrations under real-world conditions, thus highlighting their limited role in controlling indoor PM levels.
... Still, some challenges are there to perform experiments on commercial bases to evaluate the technology for its cost and affordability. The uptake process during summer and winter and the temperature inside the building can also be a limiting factor that has to be evaluated in future studies (Han and Ruan 2020;Aydogan and Cerone 2021). It is evident from Table 1, that in literature potted plants and plant material for formaldehyde removal from the ambient air have not been reviewed. ...
Formaldehyde evolves from various household items and is of environmental and public health concern. Removal of this contaminant from the indoor air is of utmost importance and currently, various practices are in the field. Among these practices, indoor plants are of particular importance because they help in controlling indoor temperature, moisture, and oxygen concentration. Plants and plant materials studied for the purpose have been reviewed hereunder. The main topics of the review are, mechanism of phytoremediation, plants and their benefits, plant material in formaldehyde remediation, and airtight environmental and health issues. Future research in the field is also highlighted which will help new researches to plan for the remediation of formaldehyde in indoor air. The remediation capacity of several plants has been tabulated and compared, which gives easy access to assess various plants for remediation of the target pollutant. Challenges and issues in the phytoremediation of formaldehyde are also discussed.
Novelty statement: Phytoremediation is a well-known technique to mitigate various organic and inorganic pollutants. The technique has been used by various researchers for maintaining indoor air quality but its efficiency under real-world conditions and human activities is still a question and is vastly affected relative to laboratory conditions. Several modifications in the field are in progress, here in this review article we have summarized and highlighted new directions in the field which could be a better solution to the problem in the future.
... In conclusion, research on mindfulness has grown rapidly in the organizational context in recent years [85,111,142,143], as well as organizational attention to design healthy environment for workers [144][145][146][147]. However, further studies are needed to understand how (behavioral, cognitive, and affective mechanisms) situational factors (e.g., physical environment) may affect mindfulness practice and its beneficial effects on workers. ...
In recent years, work-related stress has grown exponentially and the negative impact that this condition has on people’s health is considerable. The effects of work-related stress can be distinguished in those that affect workers (e.g., depression and anxiety) and those that affect the company (e.g., absenteeism and productivity). It is possible to distinguish two types of prevention interventions. Individual interventions aim at promoting coping and individual resilience strategies with the aim of modifying cognitive assessments of the potential stressor, thus reducing its negative impact on health. Mindfulness techniques have been found to be effective stress management tools that are also useful in dealing with stressful events in the workplace. Organizational interventions modify the risk factors connected to the context and content of the work. It was found that a restorative workplace (i.e., with natural elements) reduces stress and fatigue, improving work performance. Furthermore, practicing mindfulness in nature helps to improve the feeling of wellbeing and to relieve stress. In this paper, we review the role of mindfulness-based practices and of contact with nature in coping with stressful situations at work, and we propose a model of coping with work-related stress by using mindfulness in nature-based practices.
Biophilic design (BD) is defined as a design approach that promotes human-nature connectedness (HNC) in the built environment (BE), resulting in a significant impact on human health, well-being, and productivity, in addition to several economic, social, and environmental benefits. This study presents a critical analysis of the most important proposed frameworks and strategies for the application of BD from 2008 to 2022 to identify points of confusion and weaknesses and try to avoid them. The study concluded by presenting a Four-Component Framework as a new architectural translation that seeks to facilitate the application of BD in the design of the BE to achieve the benefits of HNC. The proposed framework focuses on separating the elements of nature from the methods in which these elements are used, from the desired experiences from the BD's intended goals. As a result of this separation, architects and designers may find that by applying this framework, the application of BD becomes easier, more tangible, and unambiguous.
Background: It is more challenging than designing buildings, people have difficulty improving indoor air quality (IAQ) affordably in existing buildings with limited area. This paper presents indoor phytoremediation solutions-based quotations, which are affordable to the public, besides being able to work to remediate air simultaneously.
Methods: Literature sources are primarily Mendeley reference managers and expanded from open-access reputable journals worldwide. The indoor phytoremediation solution was obtained from an up-to-date literature review covering processes of all plants and related sections.
Results: The study identified three categories of indoor phytoremediation: plant-related bioremediation, rhizosphere bioremediation, and plant processes. To improve indoor air quality, plant-related bioremediation is a suitable process to be escalated while still paying attention to ameliorating the plant processes and inhibiting bioaerosols. For practical applications, narrow-leaved plant species can enhance phylloremediation, growth media amendments to enhance rhizosphere bioremediation, and support separating biodegradable waste. Placing one decorative plant anywhere indefinitely improves the IAQ for buildings with a limited area because plants are essential biota of a living ecosystem.
Conclusion: Based on the suitability of the process for indoor air pollutants, the main contribution of plants to remediate indoor air is plant-related bioremediation, followed by plant processes, and rhizosphere bioremediation.
The human brain evolved in adaptive response to natural environments. However, urbanisation has led to the majority of humanity now living in cities, which differ profoundly from the landscape in which our species originated. At the same time, mental health conditions are increasing rapidly worldwide. Studies suggest that city living impacts brain function and structure, activates the stress response to a greater extent, and increases the risk of multiple mental health conditions. Recently, the close-to-nature concepts of biophilia and biophilic design have emerged as a potential approach to counteract these challenges. They may play a pivotal role in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Here, we explore the potential of biophilic design to balance urban stressors, protect mental health and support sustainable living on a global scale.
Plants enhance a space's aesthetics and benefit numerous human health and well-being. Indoor plants improve air quality around residential areas by reducing pollutants, increasing humidity levels, and regulating temperature. These plants also reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and boost work productivity. Hydroponics, a soilless technique for indoor gardening, can further enhance the transpiration and photosynthesis rates, improving air temperature and humidity. These plants serve as organic air filters that efficiently remove contaminants, including those that can spread viruses like SARS-CoV-2. The presence of indoor plants in indoor environments is linked to improved mental and physical health, making it cost-effective for improving indoor environmental quality. The present review discusses the benefits of incorporating indoor and gardening plants in available indoor or residential spaces, which have been discussed for human well-being and environmental sustainability using previous supporting studies.
Concern over higher education students' well-being has surged in recent years, with studies linking it to resilience, retention, learning, and academic performance. Despite the extensive literature, there is a notable gap in understanding how the typical learning environment affects student well-being, as most studies have focused on short-term interventions that are rarely integrated into the curriculum. This limited scope restricts the practical application of these findings for policy advisors and instructors, who require insights into the broader impact of the entire learning environment on student well-being.
This integrative review analyzed 24 studies that explore student well-being within the typical learning environment of higher education institutions. Through rigorous data analysis, four overarching factors were identified: the instructor, course design, class climate, and available resources. The findings highlight that factors influencing student well-being are interrelated and often interdependent, covering a wide spectrum of the teaching and learning process. Moreover, student well-being is fostered by sound pedagogical principles and practices but hindered by poor ones. Central to promoting well-being are student-centric principles and practices, though positive outcomes are not guaranteed by sound educational theories alone. Based on these results, this review offers several strategies and practical methods to enhance student well-being and provides directions for future research.
Purpose
Home is a place/system/product that becomes increasingly occupied with various tasks used to be performed in workplaces. However, the knowledge of the relationship between residential physical environments and occupant experience is limited, especially when considering the effect of indoor plants (IPs) and climate zones. To address the gap, this study conducted a questionnaire survey in three cities across different regions in China.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on User Experience and Customer Satisfaction Index theory, following the research paradigm, a total of 627 valid samples were collected and analyzed in a stepwise statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, reliability and validity test, correlation test and region comparison, then the model of PROCESS was adopted to examine the hypotheses that are given based on the former studies.
Findings
The results showed that residential physical environments have a significant effect on occupant satisfaction (OS) in all regions, as well as OS on occupant performance. However, regional differences were found that OS is a complete mediator in the Middle region, while a partial mediator in the North and South. A slight moderating effect of IPs was also found in the region of South. Nevertheless, both the number of plants and plant types have a significant moderating effect on the mechanism.
Originality/value
Besides combining two theories and confirming the mechanism in the residential physical environment, it is also the first study to consider the moderating effects of IPs and climate zones, providing potential empirical support for not only design and management stages but also facing global challenges of working at home and climate changes.
Streets are fundamental in the urban realm and always have specific problems. Many street concepts are believed to be able to solve the issues only partially. Therefore, they should work together to solve them comprehensively. Based on this case, to ensure their comprehensiveness, this research aims to offer Quran as an undebatable inspiration in finding new ideas for urban street concepts and filling the holes to solve those complicated problems. By using the content analysis method, this research analyzes eight street concepts: Those are livable, sustainable, walkable, biophilic, complete, democratic, user-friendly, and Quranic street, which is based on Quran to identify the indicators for each of them. The result showed that new inspirations of urban street concepts were found. They could be considered as new indicators of urban street concepts, which can provide a more comprehensive solution to the complicated street problems.
The perception that sustainable architecture, human health and well-being are related is beginning to gain attention. This is because the human physical, psychosocial, and spiritual well-being are positively affected by built spaces which serve as healthy or therapeutically or medicinal environments to users. This theoretical discourse has identified strategies for designing architecture for health and well-being through some considerations that include; biophilic design, human centered design, knowledge-based design, and socially responsible design. This article concludes that the architect needs to have sustainable education, adapt the identified strategies into design of all spaces and improved knowledge on architecture for health and well-being. Thus, this article recommends future research to explore other methodologies for contextualization and possibilities.
The rise of remote working has highlighted the importance of office spaces that support employees' social well-being. However, there is a lack of explicit knowledge on how to design such spaces. In order to address this gap, this study explored the strategies employed by practitioners in designing social office spaces. In-depth interviews with fifteen experienced interior designers were analysed using means-end chain theory. This revealed the designers' common aim to encourage informal social interactions through creating attractive, spacious, recognisable, and spatially integrated breakout spaces. Additionally, communicating group identity, promoting visibility, and offering a cosy atmosphere aimed to foster a sense of connectedness among employees. These findings not only enable more deliberate design decisions but also serve as valuable insights for less experienced designers. Moreover, the framework of design components, affordances and design objectives that emerged from this study can enhance communication between designers and stakeholders involved in office projects.
Environmental pollution is the result of the indiscriminate discharge of materials into the ecosphere that may reduce the quality of life. Plants have the potential to express environmental stress caused by pollutants, which makes them viable indicators. Moreover, the high sensitivity of some plant taxa towards major environmental pollutants including heavy metals qualifies them as biomonitors and managers. With increasing pollution rates due to globalization and exacerbated by the predictable and unpredictable effects of climate change, there is a need to find sustainable ways to enhance the absorption, degradation, and removal of pollutants using easily and readily available resources like plants. This chapter highlights plant roles in green chemistry as environmental managers, provide examples, and describes their mechanisms of action, limitations, and potential for future developments.
The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from interior materials can significantly impact people's health and daily activities, necessitating effective management. In the construction of the interior built environment, plants serve as a suitable means to enhance air quality. They not only function as ecological living materials for air purification and VOCs removal but are also valued for their aesthetic appeal. However, often the emphasis in designing green infrastructure is placed more on the aesthetics of planting design rather than considering plants' ecological properties. This research examines the ability of 12 plant species used in the interior green wall design at Harvard University's Smith Center as a case study to decompose and absorb VOCs through experimental studies. By integrating ecological properties and key factors such as spatial and budget constraints into the design process, this research explores the potential of using an algorithmic model to select plant species capable of reducing interior VOC pollution in green wall design. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to indoor environmental health and environmental management practices through providing a potential plant selection model and suggesting a relevant workflow for interior planting design with the goal of controlling VOC emissions. By leveraging the knowledge gained from experiments on the VOC removal abilities of selected plant species, this study offers a valuable resource for practitioners seeking to create innovative indoor air cleaning and decontamination technologies.
People's well-being, health and productivity in indoor environments are crucial areas of investigation, particularly concerning sick building syndrome (SBS). Sick building syndrome encompasses symptoms resulting from exposure to harmful factors associated with building use. Headaches, fatigue, malaise and nausea are amongst the complaints associated with SBS. A literature review was conducted, examining studies from Scopus and Web of Science to identify the major impacts of SBS on health, well-being and productivity. Out of 3601 initially identified articles, 134 were analyzed after applying predefined criteria. Three research questions (RQs) were formulated, leading to the following findings: (i) most studies focused on offices (35.48%), highlighting common respiratory symptoms that range from mild to severe based on individual sensitivity, indoor conditions and predictive factors; (ii) indoor air quality (IAQ) emerged as the primary factor influencing SBS, especially within the post-pandemic context. Increasing air circulation and ventilation are viable alternatives to enhance IAQ. (iii) Understanding SBS proves complex, with indications of potentially higher symptom frequencies in women due to historical factors, social roles, lower cold tolerance, limited understanding of female physiology and multiple chemical sensitivity.
One of the keys to understand sustainable architecture is to construct the cultural identity of urban. The losing of urban characteristics is reflected both in the convergence of geography and the passage of cultural identity. This study follows the exploration of two research (Jones & VanPatter 2009; Pereno & Barbero 2020) in complex systems, aims to develop a participatory tool to help facilitate the process co-creation. We analyze the famous regional buildings in China to summarize the corresponding architectural characteristics, also take the reconstruction of Hougou ancient village in Shanxi Province for a pilot research. Urban elements are organized and proposed in a modular way, we aim to explore new methods to engage stakeholders in the activity, in response to sustainable urban needs in the future.KeywordsSustainable ArchitectureUrban CharacteristicsParticipatory Tool
Il contributo descrive il percorso che ha portato alla nascita del laboratorio interdisciplinare EDEN – Educational Environments with Nature – LAB e presenta alcune azioni intraprese tra il 2020 e il 2022.
Il laboratorio si occupa di documentare, accogliere e stimolare attività didattiche, ricerche e implementazioni riferite alla creazione di paesaggi educativi che sostengono il benessere e la qualità della relazione didattica, anche attraverso
l’introduzione delle piante negli spazi interni. La qualità della proposta si riconosce in un approccio interdisciplinare, che coniuga pedagogia e didattica ad architettura e design e ad altre discipline come botanica, sociologia, filosofia, per comprendere come trasformare gli spazi scolastici nell’ottica dell’abitare.
Indoor air quality (IAQ), specifically after the COVID-19 pandemic, has become an international issue, as humans spend 80–90% of their time in indoor microenvironments. Poor IAQ has been related to the sick-building syndrome, nasal and ocular irritations, allergies, and respiratory dysfunction, including premature deaths. Phytoremediation is a novel strategy to absorb, adsorb, assimilate or transfer/reduce air pollutants and improve the IAQ using plants. Hence, the current review aims to explore indoor plants' role in improving indoor air quality, including their purification capabilities. There is increasing evidence that various plant species (e.g., Ficus benjamina, Chlorophytum comosum, Draceana) or their parts can reliably reduce the concentration of numerous air pollutants in the indoor microenvironment and promote human wellbeing. However, the indoor air pollutants removal efficiency depends on the species of plant, various plant characteristics such as leaf size, thickness, area, photosynthetic activity, light intensity and part of plant involved, i.e., roots, leaves, wax, cuticle and stomata. Using indoor plants is one of the most cost-effective and reliable methods of making a healthier indoor environment. Better public health can be maintained at a lower cost, with less strain on the health care system, if more emphasis is placed on creating a biophilic atmosphere and increasing the use of indoor plants. However, there are no established criteria for the best indoor plants and the impact of indoor plants on various factors such as interior ventilation, temperature, humidity, etc. Therefore, further experimental research is needed that simulates the interior environment to monitor the impacts of indoor plants on factors such as humidity, temperature, ventilation, etc., in improving the microenvironment of a closed space/room.
Merging together the fields of urban ecology, environmental justice, and urban environmental education, Urban Ecosystem Justice promotes building fair, accessible, and mutually beneficial relationships between citizens and the soils, water, atmospheres, and biodiversity in their cities. This book provides a framework for recentering issues of justice and fairness in sustainability discourse while challenging the profound ecological alienation experienced by urban residents. While the urban sustainability movement has had many successes in the past few decades, there remain areas for it to grow. For one, the benefits of sustainability have disproportionately benefited wealthier city residents, with concerns over equity, justice, and social sustainability frequently taking a back seat to economic and environmental considerations. Additionally, many city dwellers remain estranged from and unfamiliar with ecological processes, with urban environments often thought of as existing outside of nature or as hopelessly degraded. Through a citizen-centered lens, the book offers a guide to reconciling these issues by demonstrating how questions of equity, access, and justice apply to the biophysical dimensions of the urban ecosystem: Soil, water, air, waste, and biodiversity. Drawing heavily from the fields of urban ecology, environmental justice, and ecological design, this book lays out a science of cities for people: A pedagogical platform that can be used to promote ecological literacy in underrepresented urban communities through affordable and decentralized means. This book provides both a theoretical and practical field guide to students and researchers of urban sustainability, city planners, architects, policymakers, and activists wishing to develop reciprocal relationships with urban ecologies.
There has been increasing academic interest in biophilic design in response to recent environmental and climate change issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic. However, discussions of the utilization of digital technology in providing universal access to nature, and opportunities to experience more diverse nature, are lacking. This study aimed to compare and analyze major theoretical systems for biophilic experiences in a residential environment, and to propose a hybrid framework that combines physical and digital design techniques for comparison and analysis. This paper discusses framework application strategies in line with scales of residential environments. Based on a systematic literature review, this study integrated and derived key elements of biophilic experience for a better quality of life in a modern residential environment and proposed a hybrid framework and strategy based on this. As a result, a hybrid framework of 15 integrated factors for three biophilic experiences was derived, and various strengths and potential opportunities were identified in terms of application depending on the scales. At the unit scale, it was found that the well-being and health of residents improved; at the building scale, the potential for sustainability was highlighted; at the complex scale, there was a contribution to higher residential competitiveness in multi-dimensional aspects. In particular, the biophilic experience-based hybrid framework in this study provided insights into addressing the weaknesses and threats discussed in the existing biophilic design.
Engaging in outdoor nature-based spaces has significant positive physiological and psychological health benefits. Although
the integration of nature into indoor spaces is rarely considered a health-promoting tool, it may be an effective method for
increasing nature engagement in a largely urbanized world. This paper presents an overview of indoor nature exposure (INE)
by summarizing the current evidence of INE through the use of a scoping methodology. Results show that INE can be a health-promoting
tool through the interaction of nature-based stimuli and individual characteristics (e.g. gender, age). Moreover, the results
of the current literature need to be interpreted with consideration to methodological issues, such as the lack of participant
characteristics, the issue of exposure realism and little qualitative data to highlight individual experiences. The scoping
review process allowed for the summation of results and for a framework to be created in order to better understand how INE
is facilitated.
In the last few decades, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has received increasing attention from the international scientific community, political institutions, and environmental governances for improving the comfort, health, and wellbeing of building occupants.[...].
The contribution of aerial plant parts versus the root zone to the removal of volatile formaldehyde by potted Fatsia japonica Decne. & Planch. and Ficus benjamina L. plants was assessed during the day and night. The removal capacity of the entire plant, aerial plant parts, and root zone was determined by exposing the relevant parts to gaseous formaldehyde (2 μL·L -1) in airtight chambers (1.0 m3) constructed of inert materials. The rate of formaldehyde removal was initially rapid but decreased as the internal concentration diminished in the chamber. To compare the removal efficiency between species and plant parts, the time interval required to reach 50% of the initial concentration was determined (96 and 123 min for entire plants of F. japonica and F. benjamina, respectively). In both species, the aerial plant parts reduced the formaldehyde concentration during the day but removed little during the night. However, the root zone eliminated a substantial amount of formaldehyde during the day and night. The ratio of formaldehyde removal by aerial plant parts versus the root zone was similar for both species, at ≈1:1 during the day and 1:11 at night. The effectiveness of the root zone in formaldehyde removal was due primarily to microorganisms and roots (≈90%); only about 10% was due to adsorption by the growing medium. The results indicate that the root zone is a major contributor to the removal of formaldehyde. A better understanding of formaldehyde metabolism by root zone microflora should facilitate maximizing the phytoremediation efficiency of indoor plants.
A job satisfaction survey was posted on the Internet and administered to office workers in Texas and the Midwest. The survey included questions regarding job satisfaction, physical work environments, the presence or absence of live interior plants and windows, environmental preferences of the office workers, and demographic information. Approximately 450 completed responses were included in the final sample. Data were analyzed to compare levels of job satisfaction of employees who worked in office spaces with live interior plants or window views of exterior green spaces and employees who worked in office environments without live plants or windows. Statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) were found regarding perceptions of overall life quality, overall perceptions of job satisfaction, and in the job satisfaction subcategories of "nature of work," "supervision," and "coworkers" among employees who worked in office spaces with live interior plants or window views and those employees who worked in office environments without live plants or windows. Findings indicated that individuals who worked in offices with plants and windows reported that they felt better about their job and the work they performed. This study also provided evidence that those employees who worked in offices that had plants or windows reported higher overall quality-of-life scores. Multivariate analysis of variance comparisons indicated that there were no statistically significant differences among the categories of "age," "ethnicity," "salary," "education levels," and "position" among employees who worked in offices with or without plants or window views. However, there were gender differences in comparisons of males in that male participants in offices with plants rated job satisfaction statements higher when compared with males working in offices with no plants. No differences were found in comparisons of female respondents.
Foliage plants of Hedera helix L. (english ivy), Spathiphyllum wallisii Regal (peace lily), Syngonium podophyllum Schott, (nephthytis), and Cissus rhombifolia Vahl. (grape ivy) were evaluated for their ability to remove two indoor volatile organic air pollutants, benzene and toluene. Removal was monitored when the aerial portion of plants was exposed singly to 1 μL·L-1 or to 0.5 μL·L-1 of each gas in a closed environment over 6-hour periods during the day and the night. Selected physiological processes were assessed before and immediately after treatment to determine the effect of the gases on the plants. The effectiveness of plants in the removal of air pollutant(s) varied with species, time of day, and whether the gases were present singly or as a mixture. When exposed to a single gas, S. wallisii, S. podophyllum, and H. helix displayed higher removal efficiencies (ng·m-3·h-1·cm-2 leaf area) of either gas than C. rhombifolia during the day. The efficiency of removal changed when both gases were present; H. helix was substantially more effective in the removal of either benzene or toluene than the other species, with the removal of toluene more than double that of benzene. When exposed singly, the removal of both compounds was generally higher during the day than during the night for all species; however, when present simultaneously, H. helix removal efficiency during the night was similar to the day indicating that stomatal diffusion for english ivy was not a major factor. The results indicated an interaction between gases in uptake by the plant, the presence of different avenues for uptake, and the response of a single gas was not necessarily indicative of the response when other gases are present. Changes in the rates of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and transpiration before and after exposure indicated that the volatiles adversely affected the plants and the effects were not consistent across species and gases. Deleterious effects of volatile pollutants on indoor plants may be critical in their efficacy in improving indoor air quality and warrant further study.
Fifteen air cleaners, representing different technologies and types of devices, were tested with a mixture of 16 representative VOCs (17 VOCs in tests for products associated with ozone generation) in a full-scale stainless steel chamber by using a "pull-down" test method. Their initial performance was evaluated in terms of single-pass efficiency (η) and the clean air delivery rate (CADR). Technologies evaluated include sorption filtration, ultraviolet-photocatalytic oxidation (UV-PCO), ozone oxidation, air ionization (plasma decomposition), and botanical air cleaning. Based on test results, the relative effectiveness of the available technologies tested and the effect of product configuration and VOC properties on the VOC removal efficiencies are analyzed. The implication of test results on the development of a standard test method for performance evaluation of gas-phase air cleaners is also discussed briefly in this paper.
There is growing evidence to support the notion that plants can play an important role in providing a higher quality living environment. This study conducted a series of experiments to investigate the effects of characteristics, such as colour, odour and size of plants on human comfort, which was evaluated by a satisfaction survey and physiological measurements. Different kinds of plants with different levels of colour (green, tint and multicolour), odour (no odour, slight scent and strong scent) and size (small, medium and large) were chosen for the experiment design. A survey of participants' satisfaction degree as well as measurements from electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG), oxyhaemoglobin saturation, fingertip blood flow, skin resistance and respiration rate were utilized to illustrate the response of participants to the environments either with different plants or without plants. The results demonstrated that an interior office with plants was preferred over an office without plants. The environments with green, slightly scented and small plants were reported as the most favourite conditions. The EEG and oxyhaemoglobin saturation showed significant changes when plant conditions varied. These outcomes provided design strategies for incorporating the plants into the interior office spaces and also provided the physiological variables to evaluate human comfort in the outside environment.
With the continual improvement in our quality of life, indoor air quality has become an important area of concern in the twenty-first century. Indoor air quality is affected by many factors including the type and running conditions of indoor pollution sources, ventilation conditions, as well as indoor activities. Studies revealed that the outdoor environment is also an important factor that cannot be neglected for indoor air quality studies. In this review, the indoor and outdoor air pollution relationships obtained from different studies are discussed in order to identify the key factors affecting the indoor air quality. As climate change is recognized as imposing impacts on the environment, how it affects the indoor air quality and the health impacts to the occupants will be evaluated in this paper. The major challenges and opportunities in indoor/outdoor air pollution studies will be highlighted.
This paper discusses the first phase of a longitudinal study underway in Australia to ascertain the broad health benefits of specific types of biophilic design for workers in a building site office. A bespoke site design was formulated to include open plan workspace, natural lighting, ventilation, significant plants, prospect and views, recycled materials and use of non-synthetic materials. Initial data in the first three months was gathered from a series of demographic questions and from interviews and observations of site workers. Preliminary data indicates a strong positive effect from incorporating aspects of biophilic design to boost productivity, ameliorate stress, enhance well-being, foster a collaborative work environment and promote workplace satisfaction, thus contributing towards a high performance workspace. The longitudinal study spanning over two years will track human-plant interactions in a biophilic influenced space, whilst also assessing the concomitant cognitive, social, psychological and physical health benefits for workers.
Human ecology (i.e. humans in their relationships with the environment) has a history extending up to two million years. Our species has continued to be biologically well adapted to 'nature' as we have encountered it over that period. We are reliant on plants for everything we need - from food to shelter, and also, (unknown to our ancestors) plants supply our oxygen, and are the sink for carbon dioxide. Our ancestors also recognised an essential role for plants in providing pleasure, perfumes, peace, piety and glimpses of 'paradise'. We still have the same requirements as our forebears. In contrast, the increasingly rapid growth of modern cities has been only over the last two hundred years. How well adapted are we to our new, urban ecology? I propose that 'greening the great indoors' with living plants is an important element in enabling sustainable urban communities of the future, since such communities will increasingly depend on a healthy 'indoor facility ecology'. The move to city-living has had great benefits, but at some costs to health and wellbeing. Urban air pollution is a world-wide health concern, as is indoor air quality. Urban air pollution in Sydney alone causes at least 1,400 deaths per year, and we spend 90% of the time indoors, where air is generally more polluted than outdoors. The indoor potted- plant 'microcosm' absorbs and degrades all types of air pollution, and is self-regulating in operation. I outline our UTS laboratory and office 'field' studies on indoor-plant removal of airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. City-dwellers also need continuing psychological links with 'nature'. The evidence is that humans can only function 'to the extent that they maintain a micro-environment similar to that from which they have evolved'. City mental health problems are increasing. It has been demonstrated that indoor plants aid both wellbeing and productivity of building occupants. It is expected that, in the future, along with normal fittings, indoor plants will be utilised as a portable, flexible, beautiful, useful, effective, and a relatively low-cost, standard installation to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Hence, e.g. the Green-Star ratings from the Green Building Council for building designs that include indoor-plant installations.
The purpose of this paper was to report the effects of window views and indoor plants on human psychophysiological response in workplace environments. The effects of window views and indoor plants were recorded by measuring participant's electromyography (EMG), electroencephalography (EEG), blood volume pulse (BVP), and state-anxiety. Photo Impact 5.0 was used to simulate the environment in an office, where six conditions were examined: 1) window with a view of a city, 2) window with a view of a city and indoor plants, 3) window with a view of nature, 4) window with a view of nature and indoor plants, 5) office without a window view, and 6) office without a window view and indoor plants. Participants were less nervous or anxious when watching a view of nature and/or when indoor plants were present. When neither the window view nor the indoor plants were shown, participants suffered the highest degree of tension and anxiety.
Today, indoor mold and moisture, and their associated health effects, are a society-wide problem. The economic consequences of indoor mold and moisture are enormous. Their global dimension has been emphasized in several recent international publications, stressing that the most important means for avoiding adverse health effects is the prevention (or minimization) of persistent dampness and microbial growth on interior surfaces and in building structures.
This book aims to describe the fundamentals of indoor mold growth as a prerequisite to tackle mold growth in the existing building stock as well as in future energy efficient buildings. It brings together different disciplinary points of view on indoor mold, ranging from physics and material science to microbiology and health sciences. The contents have been outlined according to three main issues: Fundamentals, particularly addressing the crucial roles of water and materials, Health, including a state-of-the-art description of the health-related effects of indoor molds, and Strategies, integrating remediation, prevention and policies.
A biofiltration system is currently being tested as an alternative to maintain indoor air quality within an office building setting. The system is based on a complex plant community with both terrestrial and aquatic components. CO2 dynamics within the space offer a means of evaluating its potential efficacy. A model is presented based upon both exponential and linear processes, which accurately describes diurnal changes in CO2 levels and the removal of introduced CO2. The exponential dynamics indicate increasing rates of sequestering with increasing exposure levels. The CO 2 is eventually fixed through the process of photosynthesis, but is most likely initially sequestered in the aquatic component of the system. The removal of the contaminant from the atmosphere and into the aquatic phase where it is subsequently metabolized by the biomass suggest the system may be an effective filter for removing contaminants from indoor settings.
Background and Purpose: Indoor pollutants could be significant public health risks. People in modern societies spend about 90% of their time in indoor environment. In spite of the evidence of harm to human health, poor indoor environments are generally hard to understand. Materials and Methods: There are numerous indoor atmospheric pollutants. Specifically, combustion sources, building materials, volatile organic compounds, central heating and cooling system are described. Results: Indoor home environments are the site of a variety of biological and other environmental hazards. Indoor environmental quality has a significant impact on public health and well-being. These hazards cause and exacerbate a variety of adverse health effects in humans, ranging from acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and diseases to cancer. We review the effects of indoor allergen exposure and sensitization on asthma, focusing on dust mite, fungi, indoor pollutants such as ozone, paniculate matter nitrogen dioxide, environmental tobacco smoke, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and dampness of buildings. Additionally, the effects of lead, as well as carcinogenic effects of asbestos, radon, and smoking habits are described. Conclusions: Preventive measures, such as identification of a source of chemical, physical, or biological pollutants that may have deleterious health effects, and improvement of such harmful environmental conditions should be undertaken.
Indoor environmental quality is a growing concern, as populations become more urbanised and people spend a greater proportion of their lives indoors. Volatile organic compounds outgassing from synthetic materials and carbon dioxide from human respiration have been major indoor air quality concerns. The growing use of energy-efficient recirculating ventilation solutions has led to greater accumulation of these pollutants indoors. A range of physiochemical methods have been developed to remove contaminants from indoor air, but all methods have high maintenance costs and none reduce CO2, which some biological systems can achieve effectively with the additional benefit of the self-sustaining capacity of biological material. Bacteria are the major organisms involved in bioremediation of VOCs, although green plants may help sustain the bacterial community and add the capacity for CO2 reduction to a system. The main problems faced by indoor air bioremediation systems is the extremely low concentrations of VOCs present indoors and the possibility of microbial release. Simple, passive biofiltration with potted green plants may be the simplest and most effective system for indoor air cleaning, but further research into substrate types, ventilation, and the microbiology of biodegradation processes is required to reveal their ultimate potential. Purely microbial systems have potential for the bioamelioration of high concentrations of toxic gases, but not without significant maintenance costs. Despite many years of study and substantial market demand, a proven formula for indoor air bioremediation for all applications is yet to be developed.
The application of non-linear systems theory to the EEG has been shown to provide information beyond that provided by traditional EEG measures. The present study aimed at discriminating different attentional states of human brain activity based on changes in the dimensional complexity of the EEG. Via headphones subjects (n = 15) were confronted with a dichotic listening task consisting of frequent standard pips and rare deviant pips to each ear. Demands of controlled attention were varied by instructing the subject: (1) to divide attention and count deviants in both ears at once; (2) to selectively attend to deviants in only one ear, but ignore input to the other ear; and (3) to ignore stimuli in both ears. In addition, stimulus load was varied For the ignore and divided-attention conditions by delivering the stimuli either at a slow (0.93/s) or fast rate (1.22/s). Dimensional complexity, traditional power spectra, and event-related potential measures were derived From the EEG record. Beta power at F3 and F4 was higher during selective attention than during both divided-attention and the ignore condition, suggesting a bilateral frontocortical involvement in the focusing of attention. By contrast, dimensional complexity was highest during divided attention, intermediate during selective attention, and lowest during the ignore condition. This effect was maximal at F4 and suggests a particular role of the right frontal cortex in the controlled (i.e., attentive) processing of stimuli once selected. In the ignore condition (but not during divided attention) the increased stimulus rate - presumably enhancing automatic processing at a preattentive state - was accompanied by a reduced dimensionality of the EEG over the left frontal cortex. Yet EEG activity picked up from the left supratemporal areas of the auditory association cortex could have contributed to this effect. Results indicate that the dimensional complexity of the EEG may characterize specific aspects of the brain's attentional state not accessible by traditional EEG measures and ERPs.
Results are presented of an investigation into the capacity of the indoor potted-plant/growth medium microcosm to remove air-borne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which contaminate the indoor environment, using three plant species, Howea forsteriana (Becc. (Kentia palm), Spathiphyllum wallisii Schott. 'Petite' (Peace Lily) and Dracaena deremensis Engl. 'Janet Craig'. The selected VOCs were benzene and n-hexane, both common contaminants of indoor air. The findings provide the first comprehensive demonstration of the ability of the potted-plant system to act as an integrated biofilter in removing these contaminants. Under the test conditions used, it was found that the microorganisms of the growth medium were the "rapid-response" agents of VOC removal, the role of the plants apparently being mainly in sustaining the root microorganisms. The use of potted-plants as a sustainable biofiltration system to help improve indoor air quality can now be confidently promoted. The results are a first step towards developing varieties of plants and associated microflora with enhanced air-cleaning capacities, while continuing to make an important contribution to the aesthetics and psychological comfort of the indoor environment.
The study presented in this article represents an initial attempt to generate indepth information about how ornamental plants in real-life office workplaces interact with workplace characteristics, thus influencing working environment and well-being of the employees. Using a qualitative, explorative, and inductive case-study design, the study provides an example of how a cross-disciplinary unit engaged in administrative office work at a Danish institution applied ornamental plants. The results document that ornamental plants are an integrated part of the workplace. The employees used ornamental plants in numerous ways to either actively manipulate different aspects of the surroundings or more passively cope with demands from the surroundings. Furthermore, the use of the ornamental plants was structured by a number of factors: culture and traditions, provisional orders, organizational structures, practices, values and history, company policies, and characteristics of the indoor architectural environment. Ornamental plants were perceived as affecting many aspects of the working environment (e.g., the physical surroundings, the social climate, image of the workplace, etc.), the individual's well-being (e.g., mood, general well-being, emotions, self confidence, etc.), and to some degree the workplace's competitiveness. However, the actual effects were the results of a complex interaction among the way the ornamental plants were applied, characteristics of the present ornamental plants (e.g., size, species and condition), and characteristics of the individual employee (e.g., personal experiences, preferences, and values).
Building ventilation has long been recognized for its role in occupant health, comfort and productivity, with some of the first recommendations on building ventilation rates published in the 19th century. These recommendations were subsequently transformed into more rigorous standards and guidance in the 20th century, with the first version of ASHRAE Standard 62 published in 1973. Since that time, ventilation standards have been issued in several countries around the world and have dealt with an increasingly complex and challenging range of issues as research on indoor air quality and the state of knowledge of building performance have progressed. This paper reviews and discusses some of the issues that have been addressed in the development of ventilation standards in recent years using the development of ASHRAE Standard 62 as context, including: the scientific bases for ventilation requirements, perceived indoor air quality, contaminant sources from occupants and the building, outdoor air quality, airborne contaminant limits, indoor carbon dioxide concentrations, environmental tobacco smoke, and performance-based design. Issues that are expected to be dealt with as Standard 62 and other standards are developed into the future are also reviewed.
This qualitative study examines time spent in nature and the implications this holds for body image. Body image is defined as the inner perception of outer appearances and has been linked to various psychological disturbances, such as body dysmorphic disorder, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. Connection to nature and wilderness experiences are currently being explored by the field of ecopsychology as a healing modality for issues such as depression, low self-esteem, and well-being. Using feminist and organic research methods, this study inquired into the lived experiences of 12 working and middle-class women aged 24-54, to examine the impact of time spent in nature on body image. In-depth interviews were conducted using a semistructured format in order to allow experiences to be shared in a natural progression. Participants reviewed information from the interviews to ensure that accurate portrayals of experiences were recorded. Results of this organic inquiry supported the idea that spending time in natural settings improved body image by way of distancing women from the cultural context, increasing embodied experiences, and supporting connection to nature. This study was concluded with a discussion of the interviews and the implications the data may have for developing alternative methods of addressing negative body image in women.
Poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) has been related to increases in sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms, respiratory illnesses, sick leave, and loss in productivity. Calculations indicate that the cost of poor IEQ can be higher than energy costs FOR space conditioning and ventilation and that many measures taken to improve indoor IEQ will be highly cost-effective when accounting for the monetary savings resulting from improved health or productivity.To enable building professionals to select of building designs and operating practices that account for effects on health and productivity, we need models for quantifying the health and productivity benefits of better indoor environments. Therefore, we have reviewed the literature on the effects of indoor environment on health and performance and used existing data, when possible, to develop some initial models. Based on the best available evidence, we present quantitative relationships between ventilation rates and short-term sick leave, ventilation rates and work performance, perceived air quality and performance, temperature and performance, and temperature and SBS symptoms. We also show that a relationship exists between SBS symptoms and work performance.
B en R Adviseurs voor Duurzaamheid Amersfoort The Netherlands The Netherlands has a workforce of about 6 million people. More than a third work in offices, mostly eight hours a day, five days a week. For many, this means that the work environment can have a major influence on their health and well-being. 50,000 office buildings, covering an approximate total of 40 million square metres, also have a considerable environmental impact, not only while under construction (building waste, use of resources and materials), but also in use (consumption of fossil fuels and water, generation of waste), and, in all likelihood, during demolition or reuse as well! From the organization's perspective, the quality of the workplace is an important consideration that can give rise to substantial direct and indirect costs: direct such as energy and waste treatment costs, and indirect such as non-productivity and sick leave. This paper examines people's perception of the work environment, i.e. the environmental quality of office buildings, as well as the extent to which health problems and dissatisfaction with the work environment influence productivity in office buildings. The concept of "quality of work environment" is first examined from the perspective of the user: -which aspects are relevant to the employee's perception -how can quality be measured and evaluated? The influence of the quality of the workplace on the incidence of (health) complaints and the ability to work in the environment (satisfaction level in work environment) will be indicated, and both aspects will be correlated with sick leave and loss of productivity. A survey carried out in the offices of a tax authority will be used to assess the contribution of plants to the well being and productivity of the office staff. The article presents guidelines on how the facility manager can deal with these issues in existing buildings, and concludes with a look at a more preventive approach: how to create "healthy" -that is, productive -workplaces.
Changes in human emotions were investigated during exposure to three different indoor conditions: floral display present, foliage display present, and no display present. There were 20 subjects (10 males and 10 females) in each condition. The subjects were shown a video that introduced the University of Reading and included scenes of landscapes. It was shown that a floral display had positive effects on human emotions, such as composition and confidence, however, some evidence of a significant increase in annoyance was also found for this treatment. The foliage display had a somewhat negative effect by slightly increasing bad temper, and the foliage display tended to have a positive effect on clearheadedness. Investigations of psychological responses to nature are complex, and many opportunities for more work exist.
ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. benefits of plants, foliage plants, fluorescent lighting, full-spectrum lighting, human–horticulture relationships, human issues in horticulture, human well-being, mucus membrane symptoms, neuropsychological symptoms, people–plant interactions SUMMARY. Plants are widely used in building environments; however, studies reporting the health and discomfort symptoms of people in response to indoor foliage plants are few. The objective of the presented studies was to assess the effect of foliage plants or a combination of foliage plants and full-spectrum fluorescent lamps on self-reported health and discomfort complaints in three different work environments: an office building, an X-ray department in a Norwegian hospital, and a junior high school. Health and discomfort symptoms were found to be 21% to 25% lower during the period when subjects had plants or plants and full-spectrum lighting present compared to a period without plants. Neuropsychological symptoms, such as fatigue and headache, and mucous membrane symptoms, such as dry and hoarse throat, seemed to be more affected by the treatments than skin symptoms, such as itching skin.
The amount of formaldehyde removal by indoor pot plants was assessed in actual space, and compared with removal amount calculated from a sealed chamber test. Epipremnum aureum, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Gardenia jasminoide were placed in a room, occupying 3, 6, and 9% of the room volume, respectively. When each species occupied 3, 6, and 9% of the room volume, formaldehyde was removed by 30.9, 47.7, and 67.0%, and the relative humidity increased by 4.8, 8.3, and 10.0%, respectively. When pot plants occupied 1% of the room’s volume, formaldehyde was decreased by 6-7% in the room. A small difference in the rate of formaldehyde removal was observed among the species. The ratio of the formaldehyde removal measured in the room over the its theoretical removal calculated as the chamber test was found to be 0.05, approximately 20 folds. As a result, it has been found that indoor plants could be an effective method for the purifying of indoor air, according to the results suggesting that pot plants occupying about 1% of the room’s volume reduced formaldehyde by approximately 7%.
The aim of this project was to determine the biodegradability of all the organic compounds listed on the EPA Consent Decree. A static-flask screening procedure, using wastewater inoculum and a synthetic medium, was utilized. The test procedure allowed for microbial acclimation by three serial subcultures at weekly intervals. Modifications of the test procedure to include nonvolatile, volatile, and insoluble compounds were developed. Ten classes of organic compounds were screened. Data on the extent of biodegradability and rate of acclimation for 96 compounds is presented.
Over the past half-century there have been major changes in building materials and consumer products used indoors. Composite-wood, synthetic carpets, polymeric flooring, foam cushioning, plastic items and scented cleaning agents have become ubiquitous. The same is true for mechanical and electrical appliances such as washer/dryers, TVs and computers. These materials and products emit an array of chemicals including solvents, unreacted monomers, and additives. The consequent changes in emission profiles for indoor pollutants have been accompanied by modifications in building operations. Residences and non-residences are less ventilated than they were decades ago. Air-conditioned buildings are more numerous, especially in certain parts of the world. Most of these recirculate a high fraction of their air. The personal habits of building occupants, including the fraction who smoke indoors, have also changed. Taken together, these changes have altered the kind and concentrations of chemicals that occupants are exposed to in their homes, workplaces and schools. Since the 1950s, levels of certain indoor pollutants (e.g., formaldehyde, aromatic and chlorinated solvents, chlorinated pesticides, PCBs) have increased and then decreased. Levels of other indoor pollutants have increased and remain high (e.g., phthalate esters, brominated flame-retardants, nonionic surfactants and their degradation products). Many of the chemicals presently found in indoor environments, as well as in the blood and urine of occupants, were not present 50 years ago. Given the public's exposure to such species, there would be exceptional value in monitoring networks that provided cross-sectional and longitudinal information regarding pollutants found in representative buildings.
Past studies have documented interpersonal benefits of natural environments. Across four studies, we tested the hypothesis that exposure to more beautiful nature, relative to less beautiful nature, increases prosocial behavior. Study 1 yielded correlational evidence indicating that participants prone to perceiving natural beauty reported greater prosocial tendencies, as measured by agreeableness, perspective taking, and empathy. In Studies 2 and 3, exposure to more beautiful images of nature (versus less beautiful images of nature) led participants to be more generous and trusting. In Study 4, exposure to more beautiful (versus less beautiful) plants in the laboratory room led participants to exhibit increased helping behavior. Across studies, we provide evidence that positive emotions and tendencies to perceive natural beauty mediate and moderate the association between beauty and prosociality. The current studies extend past research by demonstrating the unique prosocial benefits of beautiful nature.
Engagement with nature, through both direct sensory exposure and a sense of connectedness, has been shown to have a positive effect on psychological health; although the mechanisms mediating these effects remain obscure. Spirituality, which has been posited within ecopsychology frameworks to be experienced in and through a sense of relationship with nature, may be one such mediating variable. The aim of the present study was to determine the extent to which engaging with nature, through both exposure and connectedness, influences psychological health, and the role of spirituality in this relationship. 132 females and 58 males with a mean age of 36.8 years (SD = 13.1 years) completed surveys comprising (1) the Nature Exposure Scale, (2) the Connectedness to Nature Scale, (3) the Mysticism Scale, and (4) the psychological health subscale of the WHOQOL-BREF. Nature exposure and connectedness to nature were positively associated with psychological wellbeing and greater reported spirituality. Furthermore, through the implementation of a hierarchical regression and mediation analysis, positive relationships between both nature exposure and connectedness to nature with psychological wellbeing, were significantly mediated by spirituality. It is concluded that spirituality can be an important aspect of one's experience of nature and, as a consequence, the positive effects derived from it.
Many studies have focused on the sources of fungal contamination in indoor spaces. Pathogenic fungi have been detected in the potting mix of indoor plants; however, it is unclear if plants in indoor work spaces make qualitative or quantitative contributions to the aeromycota within buildings. The current work represents a field study to determine, under realistic office conditions, whether indoor plants make a contribution to the airborne aeromycota. Fifty-five offices, within two buildings in Sydney’s central business district, were studied over two seasonal periods: autumn and spring. We found that indoor plant presence made no significant difference to either indoor mould spore counts or their species composition. No seasonal differences occurred between autumn and spring samples. Indoor spore loads were significantly lower than outdoor levels, demonstrating the efficiency of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in the buildings sampled. Neither the number of plants nor the species of plant used had an influence on spore loads; however, variations of those two variables offer potential for further studies. We conclude that conservative numbers of indoor plants make no substantial contribution to building occupants exposure to fungi.
According to recent literature reviews, women seem to be especially prone to report symptoms of the so-called Sick-Building-Syndrome. In a large German study into the Sick-Building-Syndrome (the ProKlimA-project) 4596 persons from 14 buildings around Germany filled out a questionnaire regarding Sick-Building-symptoms and potential psychosocial determinants. The present article presents questionnaire results from 2517 female employees (as compared to 2079 male employees) which showed that women report higher scores in sensory irritation, a higher bodily complaint rate and more negative evaluation of the indoor climate. In addition most psychosocial variables showed less favourable scores for women as compared to men. Gender stratified logistic regression analysis suggests an effect of less favourable working conditions under which women are employed. Thus although women are more prone to express impairments in wellbeing, such expression has to be critically evaluated against the background of their living and working conditions.ZusammenfassungNach der neuesten Literatur scheinen Frauen besonders anfällig für Symptome des sogenannten Sick-Building-Syndromes zu sein. In einer großen deutschen SBS-Studie (ProKlimA-Projekt) beantworteten 4596 Personen aus 14 Gebäuden in ganz Deutschlandeinen Fragebogen zum Themenkomplex SBS und möglicher psychosozialer Determinanten. Im nachfolgenden Aufsatz werden die Ergebnisse von 2517 weiblichen im Vergleich zu 2079 männlichen Angestellten dargestellt. Frauen berichten häufiger über sensorische Irritationen, körperliche Beschwerden sowie negative Bewertung des Innenraumklimas. Weiterhin zeigten die psychosozialen Variablen weniger günstige Werte als bei den Männern. Nach Geschlechtern stratifizierte Regressionsanalysen sprechen für schlechtere Arbeitsbedingungen der Frauen. Auch wenn Frauen eher dazu neigen, Unzulänglichkeiten im Wohlbefinden zu äußern, müssen derartige Bekundungen kritisch vor dem Hintergrund der allgemeinen Arbeits- und Lebensbedingungen gesehen werden.Schlüsselwörter: Sick-Building-Syndrom, Geschlechtsspezifität
This paper provides quantitative estimates of benefits and costs of providing different amounts of outdoor air ventilation in U.S. offices. For four scenarios that modify ventilation rates, we estimated changes in sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms, work performance, short-term absence, and building energy consumption. The estimated annual economic benefits were 38 billion from increasing minimum VRs from 8 to 15 L/s per person, and 0.04 billion in annual energy-related benefits of decreasing minimum VRs from 8 to 6.5 L/s per person are very small compared to the projected annual costs of $12 billion. Benefits of increasing minimum VRs far exceeded energy costs while adding economizers yielded health, performance, and absence benefits with energy savings.
Effective removal of volatile organic compounds is critical for indoor air quality control. The performance of traditional technologies of volatile organic compound removal is limited by inadequate selection of filter media, poor airflow management inside the cleaning devices, insufficient catalytic reaction surface area, and poor distribution of UV light irradiation. In comparison, the relatively new regenerative air filtration systems use a plant root bed of activated carbon, porous shale pebbles, microbes, and a wet scrubber to remove volatile organic compounds and radon from the air in tightly sealed buildings. To better understand such systems and optimize their performance, the microbes were characterized in a model bio-filter system and their activities in formaldehyde removal were isolated. Golden Pothos was chosen as the model plant, and the microbes from the plant roots and pebbles. By using universal primers to amplify 16S rRNA genes, seven different strains of bacteria were identified belonging to the species of Arthrobacter aurescens, A. oxydans, Leifsonia xyli, Pseudomonas putida, and Bacillus sp., including B. cereus. In particular, a strain of A. aurescens TC1 isolated from this system was found to remove 86.2% of formaldehyde within 24 h with a starting concentration of 11.84 ppm. These results are helpful for better understanding symbiotic microbe–plant interactions and for designing more efficient bio-filters.
An estimate of the nationwide improvements in health and productivity potentially attainable by providing better indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in U.S. buildings is given. Such estimates include the potential reductions in three categories of health effects, the associated economic benefits, and the potential direct improvements in productivity not mediated through health. These risk factor reductions through practical measures are estimated from published data using engineering judgements.
