Green Roof Sustainability and Maintenance

Many best practices in workplace design revolve around a human-centric design though process. It is essential to make sure your employees and tenants are comfortable and feel they can be productive in their space. Piper says best practices are “thinking about the employee’s entire workday, not just aspects of it.” “When we talk about best practices, it’s about how would we want to feel in our workplace and ultimately, what are the things that we’ve learned from working from home that we desire? One big thing is flexibility, the ability to go for walk over lunch time. Those behaviors and desires can be replicated in the office environment now, and so a lot of that is incorporating biophilia into the design” expresses Piper. Biophilia design is incorporating nature in design elements based on human connection to nature.

“In my experience as a designer, I would say “best practices” means creating a space that is intuitive for everyone and anyone” says Madeleine Pickus, workplace designer at Big Red Rooster – a JLL company. “Introducing natural elements which could be as literal as adding plants or a green wall. Or this could be done in a more subtle way, including naturally sourced materials, PVC free materials, light woods to warm the space, access to sunlight, etc.” says Pickus.

When developing an interior design plan, both Piper and Pickus mention the importance of a connection with nature. Research from the University of Copenhagen and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences confirms that there is a positive correlation between reduced stress levels and an increase in greenery or biophilia elements in the workplace. Many studies have shown that workplace design focused on incorporating green space and biophilia show positive effects. According to a study by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and Keio University in Japan, there is a positive correlation between increased productivity and creativity with increase access to natural light and greenery in the office. In an office space, it is incredibly important to create accessible and functional spaces. “A lot of it is increasing the amount of what we’re calling inclusive or wellness spaces, such as mothers, rooms and all gender restrooms to make sure that we’re building equitable spaces” says Piper.

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Interior design has evolved to fit the needs of today’s workforce. A significant part of wellness within an office is access to nature whether it is accessible green space, natural light, or biophilia. A connection to nature is incredibly important to the productivity and comfort of an employee. Sources:

Christina Piper, Vice President of Workplace Design at Big Red Rooster – a JLL company Madeleine Pickus, workplace designer at Big Red Rooster – a JLL company Quantitative improvement in workplace performance through biophilic design: A pilot experiment case study - ScienceDirect Workplace greenery and perceived level of stress: Benefits of access to a green outdoor environment at the workplace - ScienceDirect

GREEN ROOF SUSTAINABILITY AND MAINTENANCE

What does it mean to have a green roof? A green roof is any roof with a layer of vegetation over it. Green roofs can be extensive or intensive. Extensive green roofs usually focus on low growing plants and a thin layer of soil and are lower maintenance. Intensive green roof plants focus on deep plantings with a diverse ecosystem and increased maintenance. There are many considerations to look at before you install a green roof, here are a few of them.

Learn more about what to plant; benefits and costs; and solutions like creating a rooftop garden alternative...Read Now!