Planting for workplace wellbeing and sustainability
Healthier spaces,
sharper focus,
sustainable results
How biophilic planting can support healthier environments, sustainability goals and recognised building standards including WELL, BREEAM and SKA.
Well-considered planting can contribute to far more than the appearance of a space. Across workplaces, hospitality environments and shared buildings, biophilic design is increasingly being used to support wellbeing, sustainability objectives and the overall experience of an environment.
From calmer breakout areas and improved workplace atmosphere through to sustainability strategies and certification frameworks, planting is now becoming part of how organisations think about healthier, more effective spaces long term. At Exubia, we work with clients, designers and fit-out teams to develop planting schemes that support both people and the wider objectives of a project.
Why planting matters
The strongest planting schemes are designed around how a space is used and experienced day to day.
Depending on the environment, planting can help:
- Create calmer, more welcoming spaces
- Improve workplace atmosphere and user experience
- Introduce natural zoning within larger environments
- Support wellbeing-focused workplace design
- Contribute towards sustainability objectives
- Enhance biophilic design strategies
- Support environmental certification frameworks
As sustainability and wellbeing become increasingly connected within workplace design, planting is no longer viewed purely as a decorative feature. It is becoming part of how environments are designed to perform long term.
Workplace wellbeing and sustainability standards WELL
The WELL Building Standard focuses on creating environments that support human health and wellbeing.
Biophilic design and planting can contribute towards wider WELL strategies by helping create spaces that feel calmer, healthier and more connected to nature.
Planting may also support occupant experience, visual wellbeing and the overall environmental quality of a workplace. At Exubia, we regularly work alongside workplace designers and fit-out teams where wellbeing-focused environments form part of the wider project brief.
20% of all UK WELL Platinum projects to date, were delivered by Exubia
BREEAM
BREEAM is one of the UK’s most widely recognised sustainability assessment methods for buildings and fit-outs.
While planting alone does not achieve BREEAM certification, biophilic design can contribute towards broader sustainability, wellbeing and environmental objectives within a project. Planting is often incorporated as part of wider strategies around occupant wellbeing, biodiversity, responsible design and long-term environmental performance.
Thoughtful planting schemes can also help create spaces that feel healthier and more attractive to occupants, supporting the wider goals many BREEAM-led projects are aiming to achieve.
Workplace wellbeing and sustainability standards SKA Rating
SKA Rating is an environmental assessment method designed specifically for fit-out projects.
As workplace refurbishment and retrofit projects increasingly focus on sustainability and long-term performance, planting can support wider biophilic and wellbeing strategies within the built environment.
Integrated planting schemes can help soften commercial interiors, improve the feel of shared environments and contribute towards healthier workplace experiences within sustainability-led fit-outs.
ESG and sustainability goals
Many organisations are now considering how workplace environments contribute towards wider ESG and sustainability objectives.
Biophilic planting can support these conversations by helping create environments designed around wellbeing, longevity and responsible operational practices. From peat-free planting and responsible sourcing through to long-term maintenance and plant health, sustainability increasingly forms part of how commercial planting schemes are specified and managed.
At Exubia, sustainability shapes how we source, design, install and maintain every planting scheme we deliver.
Proven Impact
Decades of Research Confirm Workplace Psychology Findings
Why specifiers, designers and fit-out teams use planting Increasingly integrated
For architects, designers and fit-out teams, biophilic planting can help:
- Support wellbeing-focused workplace design
- Reinforce sustainability narratives within projects
- Enhance user experience and workplace atmosphere
- Introduce natural zoning and softer environments
- Align with broader biophilic design principles
- Complement certification-led project objectives
The strongest planting schemes are always designed around the wider environment itself, considering how people move through a space, how the environment is used and what the project is ultimately trying to achieve.
Workplace wellbeing and sustainable planting Gold standards
At Exubia, we design, install and maintain planting schemes for workplaces, hospitality environments and commercial spaces across the UK.
Whether you are exploring WELL, BREEAM, SKA or wider sustainability objectives, we can help develop planting schemes designed around your environment, operational needs and long-term goals.