For Architectura.be, our business manager Benoît Pelleriaux shed light on the importance of a green business environment and on the trend of biophillic design that we are increasingly seeing in the work environment. You can find a summary of the interview here.
Who is Benoît Pelleriaux?
Benoît Pelleriaux once started as a landscaper, so he has been working on green environments for a long time. Over the years, he started to change his focus: with Any Green, he no longer aims at people’s ordinary gardens, but responds to the demand for more greenery in companies and offices.
How does Any Green provide a green business interior?
Any Green makes offices, learning or living environments a little more pleasant by integrating greenery in a creative and subtle way. Our company was born out of a passion for green. In every environment, we look for the best solution to bring plants and a piece of nature between the four walls of the company.
We have an important basic rule: “natural plants need natural light,” says Benoît.
Ready to introduce more greenery into your business?
Biophilic design
When we talk about introducing green within corporate walls, you hear the word biophilic design more and more often. “People realize that in these times they actually spend more hours inside than outside. That’s just inherent in today’s work environment. Only now you see that the whole indoor life has an impact on our mental well-being. We unconsciously crave a piece of nature,” says Benoît.
“By bringing plants and other greenery indoors, you not only create a beautiful decoration and thus visual impact. You also make employees and yourself feel good in the workplace. An attractive environment reduces stress and creates calm in people’s minds.”
About biophilia
Biophilia assumes that we as humans have an innate tendency to seek a connection with the nature around us. So with biophilic design, you create that connection between humans and greenery within the walls of a building. The results are indoor gardens, atrium gardens, greenery in corporate canteens, green walls at offices, greenery in coworking spaces and many more creative concepts.
Not just real plants
According to Benoît, working exclusively with live plants is not even a requirement: “We see that artificial trees, artificial plants and artificial grass can have a similar positive impact on people.
Of course, our preference is for living greenery – after all, we are all gardeners with a passion for living greenery – but in companies where light or air conditioning make that more difficult, you can do a lot with artificial plants. In fact, even a poster of a forest or an ordinary green carpet has been shown to have an effect.”
More positive effects of indoor plants
A green business interior has other benefits that are not immediately apparent. For example, some plants can purify the air and remove nasty fumes from copiers, computers and other electronic office equipment.
Scientific studies also show that plants promote our creativity. It goes without saying that this is of great benefit in schools and businesses alike. Those who feel good in their environment will be more productive.
“We don’t have to draw a picture: there is a difference between working in the basement or working on the top floor. We can all imagine that,” Benoît further explains. “Natural light plays a crucial role. In places where plants languish because of too little light, you will also see people languishing.”
Attention to natural light is therefore a focus for Any Green. During the site visit for each new assignment, we also look at the light intensity. Based on that, we choose the right plants: plants that need a lot of sunlight or just plants that can tolerate some shade.
Maintenance of indoor plantings
In addition, Any Green also pays close attention to the maintenance issue. Who will maintain the indoor garden and in what way? Of course, at many workplaces, colleagues have something to do other than maintain the plants.
Watering is especially problematic: either no one does it, or everyone gives a splash of water every now and then because they think the plant can use it. In one case the plant dries out, in the other it drowns or the roots rot because of the moist soil. That’s why Any Green can also take care of maintenance.
Green walls
Another trend we see in indoor greenery: the green walls or green walls. “With green walls, you have to make sure the light is evenly distributed on the wall. In addition, irrigation is also important, so there must be water supply and drainage nearby and electricity for automation.”
An alternative are stabilized moss walls. These contain Scandinavian mosses, which are colored after an ecological process. In terms of design, those moss walls give a lot of creative options. “It is a trendy and budget-friendly solution that requires little maintenance.”
There are also the Vista Folia artificial green walls. The advantage of these walls is that they are UV-resistant and fireproof. You can use them perfectly where living plants have little chance of survival, or when you want to reduce maintenance. This solution is price-wise very interesting and also gives beautiful results.
Long-term investment
Investing in more greenery in the office is often a long-term thing. “Companies change their fleets faster than they change their planters. We even see that employees often take the plants with them when they move,” Benoît cited.
That’s why Any Green also offers a guarantee on the plants. A team of 14 gardeners works every day to maintain the greenery: from watering to dusting and disease control. This is done exclusively with organic products and therefore no dangerous substances for people and environment.
“Until recently, the role of greenery in an (office) environment was mainly something for the final phase of a design,” notes Benoît. Sometimes Any Green must also take into account the style of the architect in question, and that can be a challenge.
“However, most architects have already become aware of the positive impact of greenery on the human brain and are therefore paying faster attention to it. The basic rule remains: natural plants need natural light,” Benoît concludes.
