Plants create energy savings and cleaner air

English Engineer, Peter Costa, winner of the 1994 Heating and Ventilation Award, looked into the economic and technical effects of plants on energy consumption.

His startling conclusions show that the use of plants around office buildings can be constructive and how this in turn can create considerable savings on energy and water costs.

It is, of course, well known that plants make excellent air filters.

Plants such as Azaleas, Spathiphyllum and Scindapsus absorb and neutralise the toxic gases formaldehyde, benzene and trichlorethylene.

Micro-organisms in the growing medium (e.g. soil and compost) break down the hazardous substances while the breakdown products serve as nutrients for the plants.

Meanwhile, trees and shrubs placed around buildings can save air-conditioning systems hours of operation as they absorb heat and provide shade for buildings.

Costa also spent time investigating the energy saving properties of plants in interior landscaping.Their natural moisture consumes a great deal of heat and lowers the ambient temperature, thus contributing to the maintenance of optimal humidity.