Thursday, May 12, 2011

Acoustic Benefits of Plants

Trees and shrubs have been used extensively to reduce noise from traffic on busy roads. New research shows that plants can also help to reduce background noise levels inside of buildings, particularly those in which hard, reflective surfaces dominate. If you have marble or tile flooring, plaster walls, or large glass windows or doors, you will see a significant noise reduction benefit by following the 1 plant for every 100 square foot rule. Noise reduction is beneficial to health and lowers stress levels.

The investigation of the acoustic benefits of interior plants was carried out at South Bank University in London. To quantify the acoustic effect, the sound absorption coefficients of a number of plant species were measured and compared with other building materials. Plants will have very little noise reduction effect in acoustically dead areas, such as rooms with thick carpet, heavy drapes, or paneled walls.

Results indicated that plants are generally more efficient at absorbing high sound frequencies than low frequencies. High frequencies cause the most irritation to building occupants. Noted examples of good sound absorbing plants are those listed above, particularly Spathiphyllum (peace lilly), Philodendron(sweetheart plant), Dracaena marginata (dragon tree), and Ficus benjamina (weeping fig).

An abundance of experiments and tests have been conducted to determine the effects of plants in the work environment. The results support the conclusion that workers are more creative, shoppers spend more when plants are around, and hotel occupancy rates improve with the presence of plants. The image of almost any enterprise is enhanced by plants.

Dr. Bruno Cortis, a Chicago cardiologist, says "Plants make people feel calmer and more optimistic." Interestingly, studies have shown that hospital patients who face a window with a garden view recovered more quickly than those who had to look at a wall.

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