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Ambius White Paper

Nature-inspired interior landscapingHow to promote well-being in buildings by using

the principles of biophilia in interior landscape design

Kenneth Freeman International Technical Director

October 2011

“The future will belong to the nature-smart — those individuals, families, businesses and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the

transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”�

Research has shown that people have some very basic psychological needs - the supply of which

is limited in the modern work place. Two of the most fundamental (and linked) requirements are

the need to realize something of one’s own identity (in other words, to see something of one’s self

in an environment) and to maintain a connection with nature. Two of our previous White Papers�

looked at issues of identity realization and explained how psychological comfort (and subsequently

well-being and productivity) can be improved by changing the way we manage space. This new

White Paper explores recent ideas and research that shows how our well-being can be improved by

reconnecting with nature and how these principles can be translated into practical, cost-effective

design tools for interior designers, space planners and building managers.

1 Richard Louv, Author of “Last Child in the Woods” and “The Nature Principle - human restoration and the end of Nature Deficit Disorder”2 “Enrich the office and engage your staff - why lean is mean”, and “Health, happiness and higher returns - how engaging older adults in the design of their own space brings rewards to residents, carers and care home operators

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Ambius White Paper - 04

Nature-inspired interior landscapingHow to promote well-being in buildings by using the principles of biophilia in interior landscape design


Why do plants make such a big difference?Over the years, research has demonstrated the many benefits

of interior plants. Hundreds of scientific papers have been

published showing how plants can make a major contribution

to the health and well-being of people, reduce energy costs

and increase productivity and profitability. Complaints of Sick

Building Syndrome (see left) are frequently reduced when interior

plants are installed. The evidence is strong: there is no doubt that

buildings with plants are better in almost every respect than those

without. The data prove it. However, what the studies have not

satisfactorily explained is why interior landscaping works.

Indoor plants are clearly linked to improved well-being

in the office and it seems likely that this has a psychological

explanation.

Research� conducted by Dr Craig Knight and his colleagues

at the Universities of Exeter in the UK and Groningen in the

Netherlands has examined the management of work space

by comparing typical lean spaces with those enriched with -

essentially ephemeral - items, like indoor plants or pictures. Such

enrichment resulted in increased well-being (as measured in

terms of work place comfort, identity, engagement and corporate

citizenship behaviour - altruism at work) and productivity by

over 15%. These are clearly impressive findings. Moreover, the

effects were magnified when office workers were given a degree

of autonomy in the choice of those items. Even a small amount

of empowerment over the arrangement of personal work space

resulted in productivity improvements of up to �2%. Again,

well-being scores went up significantly - one study showed an

improvement of approximately 40%. The precise mechanisms � Knight, C.P. and Haslam, S.A. (2010). The relative merits of lean, enriched and empowered offices: an experimental examination of the impact of workspace management strategies on well-being and productivity. J. Exp. Pyschology (applied). Vol 16, No. 2, 158-172. See also “Cubicle, sweet cubicle” by Haslam and Knight in Scientific American Mind, Sept / Oct 2010

ContentsWhy do plants make such a big difference? 2

The restorative effects of nature �

Biophilia 4

The eight elements of nature-inspired interior landscaping 5

Adding value to buildings and their users with interior landscaping 14

How well-being in the work place is improved by nature-inspired interior landscaping 15

About the Author 17

About Ambius 17

Sick Building Syndrome

As far back as 1984, the World Health Organization published a report which claimed that as many as �0% of new or refurbished buildings caused occupants to suffer symptoms that became known as “Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)” - a term used to describe situations when people experience acute ailments and discomfort, which seem to be linked to time spent in a particular building.

Common symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome, such as itchiness, dry skin, eye and throat irritations, headaches and nausea, seem to be closely related to poor indoor air quality. Often, the presence of volatile organic compounds, mould spores, poor ventilation and badly-adjusted temperatures are blamed. In many cases, however, the removal or prevention of these supposed causes doesn’t solve the problem and there are several instances of office workers experiencing symptoms of sick building syndrome where no obvious environmental cause could be found in the first place: air quality is good, the temperature is comfortable and the lighting is well-adjusted.

Are plants the answer? We have long known that plants have abilities to remove pollutants and improve indoor air quality. Experiments in offices have shown consistently that complaints of symptoms associated with SBS drop considerably when interior plants were installed to help mediate the poor indoor environment. However, the physical changes in the environment after plants were installed were usually insufficient to explain the magnitude of the benefit experienced.

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underpinning these effects are unclear. The researchers at Exeter

explain many of their findings in terms of identity realization and its

effect on psychological comfort.

However, this is not the whole story. Discomfort in

many buildings may not necessarily be due to poor ergonomics,

bad indoor air quality or even issues of identity realization and

lack of autonomy. Furthermore, research seems to show that the

improvements in comfort and well-being attributed to plants in and

around buildings are far greater than any physical change they make

to the environment. Even the healthiest, best-maintained plants are

insufficiently active to account for the improvements in the physical

environment for which they are said to responsible (unless you work

in a greenhouse). And if the benefits obtained through psychological

effects are down to enrichment, empowerment and identity

realization, why is it that plants and pictures of nature appear have a

far greater effect than non-living, unnatural artefacts?4

The restorative effects of natureIn his recent book, “The Nature Principle”5, Richard Louv cites dozens

of research papers and case studies that build a convincing case for

the restorative effects of being in a natural environment. Simple

pleasures such as a walk in the woods or a visit to a park or garden

have been shown to reduce stress and feelings of anxiety. Anti-social

behaviour in inner cities has been linked to the lack of access to open,

green space (so-called “Nature Deficit Disorder”) and doctors are even

prescribing walks in the countryside as part of a healing regimen.

Five minutes exposure to nature is enough to have a beneficial effect

(although the more, the better), according to research carried out by

Pretty and Barton at the University of Essex in the UK�.4 See, for example, research by Roger Ulrich and his studies on design in healthcare settings5 The Nature Principle: human restoration and the end of Nature Deficit Disorder. Pub. Algonquin. ISBN 978-1-56512-581-06 Barton J and Pretty J. (2010). What is the Best Dose of Nature and Green Exercise for Improving Mental Health? A Multi-Study Analysis. Environmental Science and Technology 44 (10), pp �947–�955

The benefits of indoor plants and some explanations - a quick re-cap

Interior plants are credited with conferring many benefits to buildings and their occupants. Some are easy to explain in terms of the biological processes going on inside the plant, such as …

Removing volatile organic compounds from the air - a process demonstrated in many studies and seems to involve an interaction between soil bacteria and plant roots.

Reducing the concentration of CO2 in buildings - the normal outcomes of photosynthesis where CO2 and water are reacted in the presence of light to produce carbohydrates and release oxygen as a waste product.

Reduce background noise - foliage can absorb, reflect and refract sound, cutting down background noise levels and irritating echoes.

Cooling a building - transpiration and shading by foliage can reduce indoor air temperatures and reduce the loads on air-conditioning systems.

On the other hand, there are many benefits that scientists have found to be measurable, but for which there is no complete explanation, such as …

Stress reduction - studies have shown that people are less stressed when in the presence of plants.

Increased productivity at work.

Quicker recovery from surgery

Greater attentiveness in college lectures.

Reduction in complaints of symptoms associated with sick building syndrome (see previous page).

Our suggestion is that a credible explanation can be found within the theories of biophilia and our deep, instinctive need to be in a natural, or nature-connected, environment.

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The power of nature to restore one’s sense of well-being

is surely beyond doubt. It has been implicitly acknowledged for

centuries (pleasure gardens and parks have been the features of

cities since ancient times - even hard-nosed Victorian industrialists

funded parks for factory workers to enjoy in their limited spare

time), but it has only been in the last �0 years that a satisfactory

explanation for these effects has been given.

BiophiliaAt about the same time that the WHO described Sick Building

Syndrome, the American biologist, Edward O Wilson, was

developing theories on Biophilia, which he defined as...

“... the innate affiliation people seek with other organisms

and especially the natural world.”

Wilson found that, when given a choice, people gravitate towards

environments that incorporate features found in a natural

environment (see left). Certain features of a landscape dominated

in the preferences recorded, and it is this understanding of our

innate need for a safe, natural environment that is beginning to

inform the design of our unnatural built environment.

There have been many attempts to distil Wilson’s theories

into a set of design principles that can be incorporated into the

built environment in an attempt to create restorative, or more

naturalistic spaces. Stephen Kellert� identifies six design elements

(and over �0 sub-elements) that could be incorporated into the

design of buildings. Many of these relate to the structure and

architecture of buildings, and are thus difficult to incorporate into

existing structures, but others are easy to incorporate into existing

spaces with very little cost - and this is where the practice of

Interior Landscaping can be of use.

7 Dimensions, elements and attributes of biophilic design : Chapter 1 of Biophilic Design by Kellert, Heerwagen and Mador (2008). ISBN 978-0-470-16��4-4. Published by Wiley

The human need to be among nature

Throughout our evolutionary history, humanity has depended on vegetation for food, fuel and shelter (as in this Apache wickiup in Arizona). Our very existence depends on being among plants. That dependence is so ingrained in our make-up that biologists now give the subconscious desire to be among vegetation a name: biophilia.

E O Wilson, one of the early proponents of the biophilia hypothesis, has referred to studies that show that, when given complete freedom to choose the settings of their homes (and work places), people gravitate towards a location that combines three major features: positioned at height, overlooking the landscape; open terrain with scattered trees and copses and proximity to open water, such as streams or lakes. Other elements frequently also included as key elements in the choice of an environment include refuge, the use of natural and local materials, dynamic and diffuse daylight, visual connections between the interior and exterior and natural odours and scents.

Effectively, what has been described is the landscape of our distant ancestors from the African plains, and that is the sort of landscape where we instinctively feel at home and safe.

Whether these preferences are ‘hard wired’ into our make-up through genetic inheritance, or form part of a powerful cultural inheritance passed down through the ages is not certain - there may be elements of both. It probably doesn’t matter as much as the acceptance that, as a species, we need to be among nature (or a good substitute).

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In many modern buildings, there are significant

opportunities to improve psychological comfort and well-being

of the building’s users through nature-inspired, biophilic interior-

landscaping - even in high occupancy open-plan spaces. By

using combinations of plants and art (and even fragrances, sound

and light effects), we believe that organizations will be able to

improve the health and well-being of their staff and improve

the productivity and financial health of their business. We have

identified eight elements of interior landscape design that our

research suggests will be most effective.

The eight elements of nature-inspired interior landscaping1. Natural style scattered and clustered planting: creating the

feel of nature indoors.

In a natural environment you will see vegetation at all stages

of growth, from saplings to tall trees. Meadow flowers share

spaces with bushes and shrubs, and the occasional tree. Trees

and bushes often grow in scattered clusters and there is a mix of

species. Indoors, this effect can be recreated, or at least imitated

by allowing a degree of randomness and informality.

Whilst spacing plants in decorative containers at regular

intervals in an office might be considered both practical and

stylish, the designer runs the risk of the plants becoming little

more respected than the furniture. Conversely, mixtures of plant

species, varieties and forms will appear far more natural, as will

a variety of foliage styles and colours. Grouping plants together

in small clusters and placing them at irregular intervals, instead

of regular, grid-like spacing will also look less contrived and more

natural.

A landscape familiar to our distant ancestors: is the memory of this type of landscape hard-wired into our subconscious?

Stylish, attractive , healthy plants - but hardly a natural setting

A fairly typical modern office building awaiting the installation of plants and artwork.

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The research carried out by Craig Knight at the University of Exeter clearly demonstrated the

benefits of empowerment over the working environment. Giving office workers some say in the design

of their work space gives tremendous benefits in terms of identity realization (see the Prism relationship

model, below). This can be harnessed by involving the people who actually work in the office in the

choice of the plants and art that is used - office workers can become “agents of randomness” and gain in

other ways as their autonomy is recognised and respected.

�. Look across your space: overlooking the landscape

The studies of Edward O Wilson consistently show that when people are asked to describe the ideal

location for their home or work place, being able to look out over a landscape features as one of the

top three most important factors. This gives a feeling of safety and security as it allows one to see any

threats and safeguard resources.

Recreating the illusion of overlooking a landscape from a position of height can be difficult in an

open-plan space, and even harder when dealing with cellular offices or cubicles, but it is not impossible.

Depending on the layout of the space concerned, it is possible to create the illusion of overlooking a

space by placing tall plants near to the observer and progressively using shorter and shorter plants the

further away you get. This makes the actual distance from the observer to the boundary of the space

appear further than it really is. The effect can be magnified by bringing the view from beyond the

windows into play.

In many tall buildings, office workers have a view over an atrium rather than to the outside

world, often from a vantage point several floors above the ground level. Here is a perfect opportunity

to provide a view over a landscape that will provide many additional benefits. As well as the aesthetic

and psychological benefits associated with the presence of nature indoors, we also know that high-

quality planting in atriums can play a useful role in controlling the indoor climate and air quality.�

8 See Ambius White Paper No.1, “Plants in Green Buildings”, for more on this

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Lack of decisional

involvement

Lack of autonomy

Poor physical

environment

Comfort Organizationalidentity

Job satisfaction

Physicalwell-being

ProductivityUK o�ce worker studies

(Exeter UniversityPhD thesis) “Agents of randomness”. Office workers who chose

the types and layout of their plant displays.The Prism model showing how the effects of a lack of decisional involvement, low autonomy and a poor physical environment impact on comfort and identity. Overcoming these effects results in benefits such as increased job satisfaction, greater sense of physical well-being and greater productivity

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In deep-plan buildings (in other words, low rise but covering

a large area), there may be a space near the centre of the building

into which an interior landscape scheme could be installed. Such a

scheme will give those office workers furthest away from a window

the opportunity to re-connect with nature with a view of indoor

plants and trees.

The benefits of views over a landscape are also recognised

by green building rating schemes, such as LEED� and BREEAM10.

Where access to exterior views is either impossible (or merely

unattractive) due to the location or layout of a building, such views

can be simulated inside a building by interior landscaping. It is

worth remembering that in many modern office buildings, the

only people given the privilege of a window view (or even the

ability to control the temperature and light in their work space) are

senior managers. The majority of “low status” office workers have

minimal control over their environment and are divorced from the

natural world.

3. Expand your horizons: connect with the outside

It is all very well being able to look through a window at a

landscape, but why not try to make a more intimate connection

with nature at work and blend the interior with the exterior? In

the built environment, it is possible to reconnect the interior and

exterior in a number of imaginative ways.

First, windows are only there to stop the wind and the rain

getting inside, but they often form the boundary of our existence

when we are at work - especially if they are furnished with blinds.

With a few design tricks, that boundary can be blurred and the

outdoors brought in (or the indoors taken out).

Interior landscaping can be designed in a way to draw the

eye beyond the window into the outside world. By recruiting a 9 LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Designed and managed by the United Stated Green Building Council.10 BREEAM: the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method, devised and managed by the UK Building Research Establishment

Good practices in interior design

If you look at building standards, such as environmental rating systems like BREEAM or LEED, you will see that access to views through windows is rated very highly. Satisfaction surveys of building users frequently highlight views from windows and being allowed access to vegetation as being highly important. In deep plan buildings, this can be difficult to achieve, and this is where planted atriums come into their own (notwithstanding the use of trees in atriums to manage the indoor climate in many buildings).

Access to daylight is considered to be highly important. Research into seasonal affective disorder (SAD syndrome), as well as other studies relating to building satisfaction and performance have frequently shown that access to daylight, or artificial daylight can pay huge dividends in feelings of well-being, absenteeism and even academic performance.

View from a high floor over a planted atrium in a London office building providing a naturalistic view for office workers without a window view to the outside. In this particular building, the view to the outside of the building is of a busy city street and other tall buildings.

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distant focal point - say a tree on the horizon - into the design, the

artificial boundary of the window can vanish. In spaces with full-

height windows, especially on the ground floor, exterior plants just

beyond the window can be used so that the interior and exterior

plants become part of the same design, especially if the foliage styles

complement each other. Natural spacing of plants either side of the

window, perhaps creating a group of plants that ignores the fact of a

pane of glass, would be an interesting and effective design.

Another technique to bring more of the exterior landscape

into a building makes use of mirrors near windows to reflect more of

the outdoor view into the building. As well as bringing more light

into a space, carefully placed and angled mirrors can bring an outside

view to people with no direct access to a window.

In nature, spatial boundaries are rarely straight lines and right-

angled corners. Due to the nature of the materials and techniques

used to construct buildings, we tend to find lots of horizontal and

vertical planes and sharp corners. However, those sharp edges and

corners are easily softened with a few well-placed plants. Imaginative

interior designers might also design murals that incorporate natural

scenes or foliage effects, and will include real plants in the creation.

If large-scale, bespoke murals are out of the question, pictures of

nature scenes can help bridge the gap between the interior and

exterior.

Our sense of space depends on more than just what we can

see: sound effects should also be considered. Many buildings employ

sound effects to mask the hum of electronic equipment and the

chatter of people. The hiss of ‘white noise’ is not often noticed (until

it’s switched off). However, with a little imagination, it is possible

to incorporate more subtle natural sounds, such as bird song or the

sound of waves or waterfalls. This will add both atmosphere and a

sense of calm - something that many parents already recognise when

“End of the world” in the gardens of Schwetzingen, Germany. Trompe-l’œil artwork that incorporates plants and art

Original photograph by Immanuel Giel

Combining plants, scenery and a mural to create a natural effect - in this case, the crocodile enclosure at Tulsa Zoo, but could just as easily be included in an office

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they use recordings of natural sounds to help settle and soothe young

children.

4. Create interest with light and shade

The uniform lighting found in so many buildings may be efficient,

but it frequently lacks character and is often harsh. The elimination

of shadows and the lack of movement

reinforce the sterile, artificial character

of many buildings. Poor lighting quality

is also frequently cited as a contributor

to sick building syndrome. Nature,

on the other hand, provides us with

subtle changes in light and shade.

Dappled shade and gentle movement of

shadows played through the foliage of

interior plants can provide interest and

enrichment to the indoor environment.

Combining decorative lighting with plants (or by placing plants

in a way that they interact with the lighting already in place) can

produce some interesting effects and break up the sterile monotony

of many large, open-plan spaces. Plants with small leaves or delicate

fronds can be placed near windows to provide dappled shade without

blocking out too much useful daylight. They also have the additional

benefit of helping to keep warm buildings cool in summer.

Decorative lighting, such as low-voltage LED lights placed

among the foliage of plants, could be considered as part of an interior

landscape design. They can create the illusion of daylight showing

through the vegetation and cast interesting shadows. LEDs are

naturally cool, so the risk of heat damage is lessened and they can

be powered by batteries or even solar cells. White LEDs are also a

potentially useful source of supplementary lighting for plants in darker

areas or green walls.

Shadows created by foliage near the windows of the Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt. The trees are also used as part of the building’s thermal regulation system by providing shade from the sun and by transpiration of water through the trees.

How a combination of interior plants and artificial daylight can affect well-being and effectiveness in buildings

Many clinical studies confirm the beneficial effects of intense, full-spectrum light on sufferers of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - sometime called the “Winter Blues”. There are also several studies that claim greater benefits of full-spectrum lighting (also called artificial daylight), including improved school results and greater productivity in work places.

Full-spectrum lighting closely replicates the light spectrum of daylight and is a purer shade of white than that given by conventional bulbs or fluorescent tubes. In fact, a conventional fluorescent lamp can look pink or yellow in comparison with its full-spectrum equivalent. When used in office buildings, full-spectrum lighting makes the transition from daylight to evening in the winter months less obvious and has been shown to reduce complaints of headaches and eye strain. Sometimes, full-spectrum lighting is fitted into large ceiling panels to create the impression of a skylight.

People living and working in high latitudes, or working in spaces where there is no access to real daylight often suffer more from SAD. During the late 1990s, Professor Tøve Fjeld carried out studies in several workplaces in Norway, including schools, hospitals and offices. When artificial daylight was introduced, symptoms associated with sick building syndrome (e.g. headaches, irritated eyes, coughs, dry and itchy skin, etc.) reduced, as it was when plants were installed. However, when the two interventions were combined (plants and artificial daylight), there was a synergy - the effects were frequently greater than the sum of the individual interventions.

Combining decorative lighting with the foliage of these plants makes for interesting shadow effects

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Modern plant containers covered in woven banana leaves: a natural material used in a contemporary stye

5. Use of natural (and local) materials

If you look around a typical modern office, you would be hard pressed

to find much in the way of natural materials. Grey laminated desks,

metal and plastic chairs and synthetic carpets (let alone fabric-covered

cubicle walls) are as far removed from our natural state as it is possible

to get. Whilst we cannot dispute the utility and efficiency of such

materials, our instincts are to surround ourselves with more natural

products when given the chance.

Luxury cars and executive office suites - even in the most

modern of buildings - frequently make use of materials such as wood

and leather (or materials designed to look and feel like them). In our

homes, humanity seems to have a preference for natural materials (or

look-alikes) as well. Floor coverings, even if not made of wood, stone

or slate are made to look as if they were.

In offices, shopping centres and even hospitals, where utility

and economy are of great importance, it is possible to use natural

products (or recreate the look and feel of them) through the art of

interior landscaping. Many products are available, and they don’t have

to look twee or old-fashioned: cutting edge design is possible.

There are many dozens of plant containers available that are

made from natural materials. Wood, woven banana leaves and palm

fronds, bamboo, cork, sea-shells and mother-of-pearl are all used and

come in every shape and size imaginable. The appearance of natural

materials can also be replicated by using containers made of materials

such as polystone (resin plastics with ground stone mixed in to the

resin) or even composite plastics that incorporate ground stone or

ceramic into the top coat of the product.

As well as plant containers, interior landscapers make use of

accessories to add little finishing touches to plant displays, such as top

dressings and mulches. By using materials such as gravel, shingle or

slate quarried from the vicinity, it is possible to create a local feel to an

interior landscape.

Clever use of a wooden container to match the wooden floor in this Australian office

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6. Refuge, shelter and privacy

Experiments carried out in a variety of buildings frequently

show that people choose to sit among the shelter of indoor

plants. There seems to be an instinctive need to seek refuge

among foliage. When one considers humanity’s origins on the

plains of Africa, trees and bushes provided shade against the

hot sun, camouflage against predators and a place to hide when

hunting. Houses were made from wood and thatch and even

now, children love to build dens from trees and branches. That

deep, instinctive need for shelter and security remains with

us still, even though we live in houses and work in cities. In

commercial buildings, there are many ways to use plants to add

to a sense of shelter, refuge, privacy and security.

Tall palms lend themselves perfectly to providing a place

to shelter. Tall trunks raise graceful, arching fronds above the

heads of those seated beneath. Ficus trees or black olives can

be used in and around sofas and benches in lounges, breakout

spaces, atriums and reception areas and are especially useful in

places where relaxation is sought.

Another way of creating shelter and privacy is to

create an indoor arbour or pergola. Trailing or climbing plants

can be trained around a structure to recreate the style of a

Mediterranean courtyard. These can be used in large, open

indoor spaces such as shopping centres.

In places where space precludes the use of large specimen

trees or where security needs mean that sight lines need to be

maintained and not blocked by the foliage of trees or structures,

a green wall or hedge will be of great benefit.

Top: tall palms providing seclusion above sofas in a hotel lobby.

Middle: seats placed amongst interior trees in a country club.

Bottom: a green wall installed in a London furnishing store (courtesy of Biotecture Ltd).

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7. Water

We all know that water is essential to survival, but we also tend to take it for granted. However,

when human beings lived in a more natural environment, being close to a reliable source of water

really was a matter of life and death, which is probably why we instinctively feel reassured when we

can see or hear water. Whilst there are complications associated with plumbing into a water supply

and the ongoing maintenance of water features, there are many benefits to be gained by their presence

in a building. If there is a built-in water feature, in an atrium for instance, or even a tank of tropical

fish, plant displays can be used to draw attention to it. In some locations, there may be a view over

a water feature, pond or lake in the grounds of the building - these features can be incorporated into

the interior landscape design by using them as a focal point and drawing an observer’s gaze beyond

the boundaries set by windows. However, where it is impractical to install water features there are

alternative ways to bring water into a building.

Studies, by Roger Ulrich and others, in hospitals showed that art aided recovery, and nature

scenes were the most effective. Scenes of lakes, water falls, rivers and the sea will be most welcome in

the sterile environs of many modern buildings and can even be incorporated into murals or video art

installations projected onto walls.

The sound of running water, babbling streams or even waves breaking on a beach can be

recreated with sound-effect recordings and even the smell of freshly-fallen rain or the salty, ozone-like

smells of the seaside can also be brought into an interior landscape by selecting an appropriate fragrance

for use in ambient scenting systems (although such fragrances should only be used in areas of transient

occupancy, such as atriums and social areas, rather than in continually-occupied spaces such as offices).

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8. Natural scents and odours

Human brains have evolved to react to stimuli from many sources.

Our senses, working together, tell us everything we need to

know about our environment. One of those is the sense of smell,

which we know is one of the most powerful and primitive senses

we have, and one that affects our survival in many ways. Our

ability to detect food (or spoilage compounds), pollutants or even

track animals is made possible by our sense of smell. However,

when we put ourselves into the sterile environment of a modern

building, our senses are deprived of stimulus, and our sense of

smell is the most deprived of all.

Recently, the use of fragrances in buildings, especially

in areas of transient occupancy such as lobbies, lounges and

corridors, has become increasingly popular. This has been aided

by the development of new technology that nebulizes fragrance

oils into the atmosphere without the use of solvents, making them

more acceptable to the users of buildings than aerosols or systems

relying on the evaporation of fragrance oils. Such systems, known

as ambient scenting, can deliver subtle, natural odours into a

space to add an extra dimension to our sensory experience. By

pulling together all of the other elements of biophilia-inspired

interior landscaping, fragrances are an ideal way to rebuild our

connections with the natural environment.

By roads “not adopted”, by woodlanded ways, She drove to the club in the late summer haze, Into nine-o’clock Camberley, heavy with bells And mushroomy, pine-woody, evergreen smells.

(from ‘A Subaltern’s Love Song’, by John Betjeman, English poet 1906 - 1984).

This verse from a poem by John Betjeman describes a certain environment on the edge of London’s suburban landscape: anyone who has been there would immediately be transported to the scene by the fourth line of the verse. So powerful is our sense of smell that, more than any other sense, smells can trigger memories of place, time, activity and emotion.

Ambius offers an ambient scenting service, called Microfresh, that delivers ultra-low volumes of nebulized fragrance oils for use in buildings.

The fragrances in our current catalogue that would be most suitable for biophilia-inspired spaces include the “Naturescape” range as follows:

Aqua Blue. Modern and aromatic blend of bergamot, mint, and oak moss with hints of wood.

Green Grass. The smell of fresh cut grass evokes open windows on a summer day. Notes of bright green grass are sweetened with light floral scents and neroli.

Fresh Water. Cool marine scent of aloe with dewy green notes. A floral note of lily-of-the-valley rounds out this smooth and comforting fragrance.

Saw Grass. The earthy, sweet, and distinct scent of saw grass, smells like a warm summer day with hints of lemongrass, rose, and sandalwood.

Marine Fresh. The smell of waves crashing to the shore is invoked with notes of ocean spray, bergamot, dune grass, and cedar.

Woodlands. The scent of fresh evergreens and crisp pine needles, capturing hints of newly blossomed herbs of sage and thyme. Reminiscent of a Spring time walk through the woods.

All Micofresh fragrances comply with the most stringent health, safety and regulatory conditions. All fragrances offered exceed IFRA standards. A copy of Ambius’s fragrance standards is available on request.

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Adding value to buildings and their users with interior landscapingWe know from countless studies that having plants in work places and other commercial buildings

brings many benefits, and we also know that many of those benefits are psychological and behavioural

rather than physical. However it is only recently that we have been able to start understanding why

these effects happen and explanations based on biophilia theory seem compelling. It is important to

understand that biophilia is not a new set of plant benefits to add to the catalogue that we already have,

it is a way of explaining and joining together the whole set of benefits that we already know about.

By demonstrating an understanding of the theory and practice of biophilic design, developers,

owners, managers and users of buildings are able to address some pressing concerns, such as the

need to improve the wellbeing of their employees, which in turn can realise hidden value by

improving productivity and absence. Furthermore, one might also wish to consider the image that

building operators try to project. Office workers are getting increasingly selective about their work

environments and if companies can provide a work space that speaks to issues such as the environment

and a humane approach to management, then they stand a good chance of attracting the best

employees.

There is also an increasingly strong tie-in with the Green Building movement. The Cascadia

chapter of USGBC in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, for example, has developed a new green

building design and rating tool that goes far beyond conventional, engineering-led, green building

systems. The Living Building Challenge11 takes sustainability to a higher level than simply recording

and reducing energy consumption. It is a holistic system that ties together elements of energy efficiency

and well-being and has a specific requirement for biophilia. The Living Building Challenge is not

isolated to the Northwest of the USA, however: there are projects constructed to this standard in several

countries.

Other certification systems are also examining whether elements of well-being should be

included. This is a recognition that sustainability is more than just about energy conservation and

greenhouse gas remediation, but encompasses much broader concepts about the sustainability of

communities.

11 The Living Building Challenge is a programme run by the International Living Future Institute. For more information, please see www.ilbi.org .

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A theoretical model describing the relationships between various physical and psychological benefits of plants and the design elements that contribute to the effects. By combining these design factors, interior landscapers can make design more effective and increase well-being.

The Elements in the peach-coloured section relate specifically to issues of identity realization, which are known to have a very powerful effect on well-being. The mauve section features the known physical effects of interior plants. Translating this concept into something that makes sense as a design concept is shown in the green section, and expanded upon in detail in this white paper.

How well-being in the work place is improved by nature-inspired interior landscaping

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The model shown on the previous page realized as an idealized office environment featuring all eight of the main elements of biophilic interior landscape design. An interactive version of this graphic can be found at www.ambius.com

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Ambius White Papers are published by

Ambius University

About AmbiusAmbius is the global leader at enriching work places. Our services create harmonious surroundings that improve well-being, productivity and enhance brand image.

We are the world’s largest interior landscaping company, with businesses in 1� countries in Europe, North America, South Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Depending on where you live, Ambius offers additional services such as exterior landscaping, seasonal and holiday decorating, corporate art, ambient scenting, point-of-use chilled and filtered water dispensers and fresh fruit and flower deliveries.

Ambius is backed by unmatched technical resources, collaborative research with leading universities and the combined expertise of some of the world’s most knowledgeable and experienced people, as well as the resources of the world’s leading business services company - Rentokil Initial.

Ambius is ethically and environmentally aware. We are members of Green Building Councils in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. We are committed to improving the environment with our services and are actively reducing our own environmental footprint. Ambius businesses in Europe and North America are now “Planet Positive” certified businesses in recognition of our achievements and aggressive carbon reduction programme.

Full details of our services, values and vision can be found on our web site: www.ambius.com.

Ambius Divisional Head Office

485 Half Day Road Suite 450

Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 USA

About the authorKenneth Freeman is Ambius’s International Technical Director and Head of Ambius University and is based in London. An expert in interior landscaping, he has been directly involved in all aspects of research into the benefits of interior plants as well as the development of horticultural best practices and the leadership of Ambius’s ambitious sustainability project. He has developed a range of education and training programmes and is the author of continuing education programmes for architects in the UK as part of the Royal Institute of British Architects Continuing Professional Development Core Curriculum and in the USA as part of the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System.

E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: +44 (0) �� 2��4��

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