01 Mar Greening the Workplace
GREENING THE WORKPLACE
Making Workplaces Greener – Did you ever think it was possible to take steps towards greening the workplace? Well, it is increasingly possible as more companies adopt the practice of vertical gardening.
There is now no longer any need for workers to put up with confined office spaces. Instead, most modern offices are spacious and are designed in ways that promote effective and greater productivity in the workforce.
Consider going Artificial
Some architects and office owners take the decision to go for artificial plants and flowers for their wall gardens. This is an option that gives the look of gardens without having to worry about watering, lighting or feeding. It is a cheaper option but does not provide the same benefits as having real plants in a vertical garden.
- A green wall uses very little floor space and still provides the same benefits. They can even protect external walls from harsh sunlight and high temperatures if the building is in an exposed position.
- Vertical gardens have a cooling impact inside offices meaning that the air conditioning can be placed on a lower setting, reducing energy bills and cutting back on consumption.
- These vertical gardens come in different sizes and are attached to walls using different systems. Plants are put in place with either a framework, pot, or even a modular system.
- Whatever is used to put a walled garden in place, all such gardens need to be watered and provided with nutrients via feed or fertiliser.
- There are plenty of variations of vertical gardens, meaning that every office can have its own specific wall garden.
Planning a Wall Garden
Generally, it will be the architects that decide that offices will have vertical gardens. Architects often follow trends when it comes to wall gardens. For instance, in Australia, it is currently common to choose climbing plants that are attached to cables. A trend that is gaining in popularity is to use tufting plants. Such plants are in pots. In most cases, these gardens will have to be under LED lights besides having feed and water.
Vertical gardens were slow to be adapted in Australia yet as more and more are included in office plans, so the number of people that can install and maintain these gardens will increase.
When wall gardens are included in office plans from the start, architects need to take into account what plants need to grow and prosper inside, such as soil/compost, adequate water, fertiliser and light to do so. Also, the maintenance of these vertical gardens has to be considered, for example how practical to reach the plants, particularly those on external walls.
It is more difficult, but not impossible to put vertical gardens in offices that have already been built. Having these fitted as part of the original prior to offices being built means that the gardens should be installed with less fuss and at a lower cost.
Architects should seriously consider contacting experts in vertical gardening, like VISTA.
Picking the Plants for the Wall Garden
Care needs to be taken when it comes to choosing the plants to go in living green wall gardens. There is more to it than simply picking the plants that would look the best, or provide the brightest display. Careful consideration of what the plants require, and the plants can be provided with once in a living or wall garden has to be taken into consideration.
Contact VISTA CONCEPTS to discuss the requirements of living plants or artificial garden walls. We are an Australian Family owned business located in Brisbane with offices in Sydney and Melbourne. We have clients all over Australia and have no problem servicing your requirements ongoing.