According to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study, office workers inhale 300 contaminants every day. Not you? Not your building? Think again. Toxic fumes are emitted by carpets, furniture, office cleaning products, copy machines as well as formaldehyde from particle board, facial tissues, paper towels and Trichlorethylene (TCE) from ink and paints. Individually, any one of these products might not be an issue and certainly pass EPA standards, but much like mixing medications, the combined effects can be dangerous and are still being researched. It's no wonder we hear of increased allergies, "sick buildings" and more and more individuals complaining of headaches and nausea on the job.
NASA has conducted studies on the effectiveness of plants in cleaning the air in indoor environments. The results indicate that indoor plants actually scrub the air of contaminants, particularly benzene, formaldehyde and TCE. Researchers found that one potted plant per 100 square feet of floor space can help clean air in the in the average home or office.
The implications are that plants in your lobby or even in the common areas of your floors will not only make your building more inviting and attractive, but also will make it easier for your clients to breathe. Many buildings select an interiorscaper (indoor plant company) to design and
install plants. In Houston, buildings contract with one company to do the whole building, including rental spaces. This service is paid for as part of the lease agreement with their tenants just like a cleaning contract. They leverage better prices and more attention with their increased buying power.
Be careful selecting an indoor plant company. How long have they been in business? How fast do they respond to your needs? Will they guarantee the plants? When won't they? Look at their portfolio, see the quality of past work. Be willing to negotiate a better deal without giving up quality.
Big is not always best in this business. Often, larger companies deliver lower bids, but also a lower standard of care and materials. Indoor plants should not be plants plopped in pots, but rather render the feeling of a garden. A group of plants and flowers in one area together will often present more of an impact than plants scattered throughout a space. Consider adding a water feature. There are a myriad of smaller fountains that will help bring nature and a garden-like atmosphere into your building and not be overly elaborate.
If you are bidding this work out, remember this is not an apples-to-apples experience. It's not like getting your windows washed or your floors cleaned. It's comparable to selecting an architect or an interior designer, and, as in that instance, you get what you pay for. Find a company that creates a design that truly enhances whatever space you want to plant, than negotiate the price.
Be sure that whomever you contract with is conscientious about keeping the plants clean. This will limit insect infestations. Make sure that your plant company will not treat the plants with anything toxic unless they remove the plants from the premises. You do not want the plants to become part of the toxicity problem through pesticide applications.
Taking a world view, it is a global economy after all, you might want to plant some street trees, take a little pressure off of the ever thinning rainforest. Trees will always enhance your property, provide shade on hot days, clean the air and give homes to other living creatures. In the world of pricing outdoor trees, this is a more an apples-to-apples experience. Trees are priced by the thickness (caliper) of their trunks. As long as your landscaper will guarantee the tree and is priced competitively, you are pretty safe bidding out trees in containers or in the ground. But you must remember to have the bidders specify caliper or make sure they are pricing the same caliper.
Richard Heller is president of Mornhurst Gardens Co., a New York City based landscape firm. Richard is the landscape columnist for the Pelham Weekly and has written numerous articles on landscaping applications for green buildings. Mornhurst Gardens designs, installs and maintains landscapes both inside and out. They plant and maintain rooftops, estates, malls on both Park Avenue and Broadway, as well as street trees, lobbies, atriums and offices. You can contact Richard at 718-401-0077 or visit www.mornhurstgardens.com.