Tropical plants and house plants in health care facilities! – cont’d 5

The role of  tropical plants and house plants in health care facilities - 5

by Mary Jane Gilhooley

Health Facilities Management, February 2002

Article reference: Green Plants for Green Buildings

Case in point: Maravilla Rainforest

Cleaner air and healthier living were the inspiration behind the creation of Maravilla Rainforest. An award-winning, 287-unit senior citizen residence located in Vernon Hills, Ill., Maravilla is known as the world’s largest installation of an organic, indoor rainforest environment. To fully appreciate the grand scale of this interior plant installation, consider that eight semi-trucks full of tropical plants and green foliage and five semi-trucks full of soil were required before the project was complete.  Designed by Foliage Design Systems of Chicago and Ives/Ryan Associates (Naperville, Ill.), Maravilla offers its residents a quarter-mile walking path, a  meditation area, a relaxing café, waterfall massages and hot mineral baths, all surrounded by more than 6,000 tropical plants and trees.

Dr. Tomer Anbar, one of Maravilla’s owners and a principal developer behind the project, cites the air-purifying qualities of interior plants and green house plants when explaining the impetus behind the facility’s creation. “Plants have been shown to absorb toxins while releasing oxygen,” says Dr. Anbar. “Also, research has shown that people who live in rainforests do not suffer from allergies. By creating Maravilla, our hope was to offer its residents an environment in which cleaner air would improve their health and longevity.”

By all accounts, Maravilla has been a total success. Residents have reported feeling healthier and more energetic since moving in to the rainforest environment. It is interesting to note that members of Maravilla’s medical staff are benefiting from the facility’s tropical foliage and indoor house plants as well. “One of our nurses was able to wean herself from asthma medications after she began working here,” says Dr. Anbar. Even visitors to Maravilla are noticing the effects of the rainforest environment, with many commenting on how much better they feel just 30 minutes after they arrive.

Final thoughts

While more studies are certainly needed to fully explore the benefits of interior plants to patients and health care employees, the research and case studies presented here make a strong case for including  tropical house plants in health care settings. For more information regarding the many benefits of interior plants, please visit the Plant at Work Web site at www.greenplantsforgreenbuildings.org.

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Mary Jane Gilhooley, based in Los Angeles, CA, is the communications manager for Focal Point Communications and coordinator for the national Plants at Work information campaign. Focal Point creates progressive communications strategies for green industry businesses across the United States.

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