10 reasons to green your property portfolio

Innovative Plant Technology 10 Business reasons 2013

10 REASONS TO INTRODUCE “REAL GREEN ASSETS” INTO YOUR PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

Ronald Wood PhD, BSc.Director

Innovative Plant Technology


Healthy landscapes deliver great benefits for sustainable commercial property:

Here are the main top 10 reasons for a “green asset portfolio of plants.”

1. Corporate perception

2. Amenity and perceived quality

3. Boost occupancy rates

4. Higher tenant retention

5. Improved reputation/profile

6. Healthier work environment

7. Impact on building rating

8. Commitment to ESD

9. Differentiate your assets

10. Reduced liability/risk

Positioning Well-designed and maintained interior/exterior landscapes are a cost-effective way of changing and enhancing the corporate perception.

The corporate atrium may instill a company’s philosophy into the interior design through the various landscape elements that can distinguish the corporate interior. A well-maintained interior landscape reflects the quality of the corporate image.

In the premier spaces in their building interior, landscape, including vertical green walls, can be the central focus of the offices, atria, and the reception areas.

Amenity and perceived quality

Perceived Quality of Life. People associate eye-appealing landscaped areas with a higher quality of life. This is important in attracting businesses and sustaining growth and property values.

Boost Occupancy Rates.

People enjoy attractive, pleasing areas and are much more likely to choose to live, work and shop in buildings with attractive landscapes, so there is a high correlation between attractive landscaping and higher occupancy rates of buildings.

Higher tenant retention

By enhancing the tenant’s amenity, higher rents and reduced churn is likely.It therefore becomes more economically feasible to invest money in landscaping because the return in the number of tenants and amount of rent money far exceeds the cost of installing ornamental plants. Owners of buildings should seriously consider landscaping as a means to attract new tenants, and reduce vacancy risk.


Improved reputation/profile

More than two in five people (41%) erroneously believe marketing claims such as "green" or "environmentally friendly" mean a product has a beneficial impact on the environment.

Only about one in three (29%) understand that these terms more accurately describe products with reduced environmental impact compared with competing products.

Those companies recognizing the value of landscape to their properties are generally perceived by their clients and tenants to have greater awareness of environmental issues and social amenity, leading to a higher industry reputation and profile.

Healthier work environment

The presence of plants in the work environment can help people improve their performance by giving them an increased feeling of vitality and increased energy levels. Corporate interior landscapes offer employees a more natural and low stress setting in the midst of an otherwise typical workplace.

Another benefit can be through increases in employee productivity, and several studies have shown a correlation between a building’s internal environments (e.g. its air quality) and employee health and productivity.

A green workplace can help reduce absenteeism in your office. Plenty of fresh air and natural light are good starting points. Our research and practical studies show that the presence of plants in the workplace can remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs ) and clean the air.

Impact on building rating

Provision is made in the GBCA Green Star rating system for the installation of plants to contribute easily achieved points to the IEQ rating, at relatively low cost.

Commitment to ESD

It’s easy being green; businesses have a real opportunity to be cleaner, greener, healthier – and more profitable with well-designed landscapes So if your team sees your company doing good work, you’re more likely to have a happy, well-motivated and loyal workforce.

Differentiate your assets

Consumers and companies are increasingly showing their environmental awareness by choosing to deal with responsible companies. So taking a green stance can give you credibility – and the edge over the competition.

Interior and exterior landscapes are visible evidence of commitment to a sustainable, green environment.

Reduced liability/risk

Indoor air along with the supply of electricity and water has the same duty of care when supplied to a building

We take for granted that the “fresh air” supplied to a building is free of contaminants and safe to breathe. Meeting the rating requirements for indoor environmental quality doesn’t automatically lead to clean breathable air for building occupants.

Indoor air filtered through a living plant system (Botanical Air Filtration) purifies the air, demonstrating the company’s commitment to its workforce.


5 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TYPES AND THE POWER OF PLANTS TO ENHANCE THEIR SUSTAINABILITY

Corporate Corporate interior landscapes can offer employees a more natural and low- stress setting in the midst of an otherwise typical workplace. In the premier spaces in their building interior, landscape, including vertical green walls, can be the central focus of the offices and the reception areas.

The corporate atrium may instill a company’s philosophy into the interior design through the various landscape elements that can distinguish the corporate interior landscape. A well-maintained interior landscape reflects the quality of the corporate image, increasing the perceived sustainability of the building.

Commercial Shopping centre operators and corporate facility managers are well aware of the benefits of creating pleasant, enjoyable atmospheres that encourage shoppers to spend time in their retail environments.

Creative interior landscapes add vitality and excitement, to transport customers from the everyday world outside into totally different environments that make them feel good and ensure their return.

Plant-oriented design changes can accommodate changing merchandise displays, direct traffic flow through the mall, create attractive spaces for food courts, and help attract return visits from shoppers

Hospitality Many hotel foyers and atriums combine the soothing effects of natural lighting and plants with the refreshing sights and sounds of moving water to create the impression of inviting, pleasant, natural environments.

This effect can extend to the restaurants as well as the lobby and other public spaces. Hotel chains incorporating interior landscapes regularly achieve +20%Increased occupancy rates.

Institutional Creative interior landscapes give a sense of purpose and place for institutions, which are an important part of our culture. Indoor gardens provide a link between the creation of nature and the human works of art in libraries, museums, and galleries.

The creation of a peaceful atmosphere adds to the quiet contemplation of the masterpieces on display.

Simple and restrained gardens provide a place where visitors can pause for reflection between viewings. Control of the environment for the protection of artworks takes priority over plant needs with particular attention to humidity, temperature and light levels. The choice of plant material and effective maintenance procedures are therefore crucial.


Residential The sophistication of modern urban living has separated us from the natural environment, yet the need for close contact with green plants remains.

Our ability to bring the outdoors in is greatly enhanced by modern residential design, construction and materials: skylights to bring high levels of daylight, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that eliminate draughts and hot spots, creating more favourable conditions for healthy, thriving indoor plantings. Commitment to landscapes has enabled developers to achieve improved sales and a premium on returns.

Next steps

Call us for an informal discussion on how we may help your business on +612 9654 1264

Or e-mail us with your specific concerns [email protected]

For the ultimate protection of your landscape assets we provide expert, independent technical advice to support all of your design, installation, operational and maintenance requirements.