The humble houseplant is on the attack. Building on NASA experiments for air purification in space, scientists are pinpointing plant species-from the peace lily to the asparagus fern-that are particularly skillful at cleaning indoor air of pollutants that can cause a range of health problems. A growing body of research suggests the humble houseplant boasts significant powers to clean the air in homes and other buildings of common toxins such as formaldehyde, ammonia ...

Plants have an immediate and documented impact on our happiness and long-term positive effects on our moods--specifically making us feel less stressed, less anxious and less depressed. The scientific term for this connection is biophilia, which describes the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with living systems (Wikipedia). Considering that 90% of our time is spent indoors-and maybe more in the summers of South Texas-bringing the outside inside is deeply rooted in our biology.

Selectively reviews scientific research on the influences of gardens and plants in hospitals and other healthcare settings; mainly concentrating on health-related benefits that patients realize by simply looking at gardens and plants.

Being around plants helps people concentrate better in the home and workplace. Studies show that tasks performed while under the calming influence of nature are performed better and with greater accuracy, yielding higher quality results. Moreover, being outside in a natural environment can improve memory performance and attention span by twenty percent.

http://www.aboutflowers.com/health-benefits-a-research/workplace-productivity-study/research-methodology-.html

Three commonly found toxins, and the plant species that mollify their effects

People send plants to hospitals every day as get-well gifts for loved ones. Do plants do more than cheer up a sterile sick-room?

Don’t see red when you’re stressing out at work, go green.

Put on your garden gloves and join in the fun because “gardening with a purpose” is taking root.

Could a plant "intervention" improve the well-being of patients in a difficult rehab process?

The basis for the claim that houseplants can help make the indoors healthier is a series of experiments completed by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America.

Office space showcases a wide variety of ideas that an average office can implement.

The first international interior landscapers' meeting points to a promising future. GPGB's Mike Lewis recently spoke at the EILO conference held in Amsterdam.

"Sick Building Syndrome." We've all heard about it. But evaluating a health effect from mold requires both a medical diagnosis and an environmental assessment.

Green Plants for Green Buildings (GPGB) has hired LEED consultant, Viridian, to help develop a LEED Pilot Credit program focused on eventual inclusion of live indoor plants into the LEED rating system. The intent of the pilot credit, currently titled "Biofiltration of Indoor Air with Plantings", is to mitigate pollutants in indoor air through the proper selection, incorporation and maintenance of indoor plants. IEQ (Indoor Environmental Quality) will be the targeted LEED credit ...

The International Green Construction Code (IgCC) has given preliminary approval for the inclusion of live plants as part of their proposed 2012 code revisions. A new subsection of Section 810 will be headed 'Interior Plants and Pollutant Control' and will outline where and how many plants should be used to comply with this optional green building guideline - which is administered by the International Code Council (ICC). A mandatory plant maintenance program will also be required for ...

Not only do indoor plants aide in suppressing airborne microbes, but when they are properly maintained by a professional Interior Plantscape Contractor, there is less opportunity to produce mold, harmful or not. Proper care, lighting and watering will help avoid such problems

Albuquerque New Mexico's Wesst Corporation was recently awarded Silver LEED Certification in part through the use of indoor plants, only the second project to do so in the U.S. Credit for the use of live plants indoors was given under LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a third party rating system offered through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Points were awarded in the category of Innovation in Design, under LEED. According to Studio Southwest ...

First Building in US to Earn LEED Credit for Use of Indoor Plants The Ecology and Environment (E & E) Headquarters in Lancaster, New York was recently awarded Platinum LEED Certification in part through the use of indoor plants. Credit for the use of live plants indoors was given under LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a third party rating system offered through the US Green Building Council (USGBC). Points were awarded in the ...

Connecting with our surroundings is a crucial part of being a healthy, motivated human being who can function within a community.