| You may not be aware of it but there is battle | | | | depressed in these ultra efficient conditions, where |
| taking place in office buildings all over the world. On | | | | the only thing that is ultra efficient are the machines |
| one side is the toxic gases produced by modern | | | | and equipment that support the VOCs. |
| office equipment and on the other, a group of | | | | |
| surprising heroes; regular office plants. Research has | | | | Wolverton identified that certain office plants such as |
| shown that modern energy efficient office buildings | | | | the Bamboo Palm and Madonna lily, fought to clean |
| are in fact home to a number of potentially harmful | | | | indoor air by battling against the VOCs and reducing |
| toxic gases that are more commonly known on the | | | | the levels of airborne formaldehyde, benzene and |
| streets as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). This | | | | trichloroethylene. With these gases hiding in wall |
| gang contains characters such as formaldehyde, | | | | paneling, paints, carpets and electrical office |
| benzene and trichloroethylene that are attacking | | | | equipment these brave indoor office plants are |
| office workers by causing sore throats, headaches | | | | locked in battle. |
| and irritable eye and skin conditions. | | | | |
| | | | | As an ally to these efficient green soldiers Wolverton |
| In the early 1980’s the National Aeronautics | | | | went on to work with the Plants for Clean Air Council |
| Space Administration (NASA) discovered a potential | | | | in the US and produced his findings in his book |
| solution to apprehend these volatile gases. Enlisting | | | | “Eco Friendly House Plants” published in 1996. |
| the help of Dr. Bill Wolverton, an environmental | | | | The book identifies and describes the ability of 50 |
| engineer, NASA discovered that indoor plants were | | | | common house plants to reduce indoor VOCs with |
| capable of challenging the VOCs and purifying the air | | | | character profiles of some of the toughest and most |
| making it much safer for employees in office | | | | capable office plants on the block. Some of the |
| buildings. Dr. Wolverton found that common | | | | biggest characters included the palm sisters Areca |
| houseplants could both purify and cleanse polluted air | | | | Palm, Lady Palm and Bamboo palm as well as some |
| and water as well as bringing a number of other | | | | members of the Ficus family including Ficus Alii and |
| beneficial properties into our indoor spaces. | | | | Ficus Benjamina, not to mention the infamous |
| | | | | Dracaena Janet Craig. |
| The modern energy efficient buildings we now live | | | | |
| and work in have provided VOCs with the perfect | | | | Further studies into these green heroes have also |
| territory in which to reign. With much of our time | | | | shown that not only do they help to fight the VOCs |
| now being spent indoors, many of us in windowless | | | | but that they also give a helping hand when it comes |
| offices, the distinct lack of fresh air has also led to | | | | to reducing office noise and the humidity levels in |
| other physical and psychological ailments that have | | | | indoor climates. So if you’re having trouble with |
| been enhanced further by the toxic VOCs. Our | | | | your indoor climates why not call in the green team! |
| productivity, creativity and general mood are | | | | |