12 October 2011

eFIG Chairman and Ambius International Technical Director, Kenneth Freeman has written an engaging article for Personnel Zone.

Expanding the empowerment and enrichment theory, Kenneth also defines well-being as explained by psychologist Martin Seligman.  In his definition there is no mention of physical health but as Kenneth points out physical well-being is likely to be affected by positive emotion, one of Seligman’s five classifications.

Kenneth also cites Richard Louv’s description ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’ i.e. our lack of contact with nature and how nature can assist a healing regime.  Of course Kenneth goes onto link this to Dr Craig Knight’s study about enriched workplaces, empowerment of the building’s occupiers and of course plants.

It’s well worth a few minutes of your time to read.

Award winning Garden Designer Andrew Fisher Tomlin and member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, who gave a seminar at The Landscape Show earlier this year has some advice about the right plant, right place.

In an ezine article he has advice about which plants prefer which conditions indoors.  For instance orchids, Ficus and Kentia palms do well in cool, draughty hallways, he suggests. Whilst Yuccas, Crassula and Peace Lilies fair well in warm living rooms.

For more advice on the right plant for the right place see eFIG’s own guide.

19 October 2011

CNN reports on new research into ways to reduce city’s production of Carbon Dioxide by absorption

In a report from CNN Dr Rachel Armstrong tells of new research that will help buildings to ‘eat up’ carbon dioxide in the city air.  She says, “Over the next 40 years, ‘living’ buildings — biologically programmed to extract carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere — could fill our cities.”

Armstrtong works in synthetic biology, a cutting edge science looking at ‘the manufacture of life-like matter from synthesized chemicals’; protocells Armstrong calls these synthetic chemicals

“For instance, a protocell could be mixed with wall paint and programmed to produce limestone when exposed to carbon (dioxide) on the surface of a building,” she says. “Then you’ve got a paint that can actually eat carbon and change it into a shell-like substance.”

‘So, just as iron rusts when it comes into contact with oxygen and water, protocells can produce simple chemical reactions when they come into contact with carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules, turning the CO2 into calcium carbonate, or limestone, which stops the greenhouse gas from rising up into the ozone layer.’

Architect Richard Hyams confirms that ‘there is a burden on cities to reduce their vast carbon footprint intensities the market will look to more radical solutions.’  His graphic of how London might look suggests a much more natural approach than Armstrong’s.  Hi buildings and roofs are well planted with vegetation literally acting as the lungs of the city to clean the air.

We’re pleased to see there is a small change towards this ability that plants and trees have to green our cities and make them cleaner places.

Read the full report here.

Earlier this month the new chairman of the World Green Building Council was announced. Rick Fedrizzi is also the President and founding Chairman of the US Green Building Council.

The out-going chairman, Tony Arnel who is also the Chair of Australia’s Green Building Council commented: “It’s been a great privilege to work with the World GBC’s network over the last three years.

“During this time, I’ve witnessed a fringe green movement become a mainstream industry. Governments have begun to wake up to the costs of climate change and recognise that buildings are truly the low hanging fruit.

“Technologies and practices which were once considered extraordinary are now business-as-usual. It is a great honour to pass the reigns of the WorldGBC into Rick’s steady hands.

“In the last decade, the global green building movement has recalibrated our vision for the world’s buildings and reminded us of why we create our buildings in the first place: for people.

He added: “Buildings – whether they are schools, hospitals, offices or homes, and whether at the design stage or during operation – should be based around the people within them; their purpose, their wellbeing.”

eFIG has an article published in the latest edition of Green Build News.

Our article which we named ’Interior Landscaping as part of a sustainable build’, though the title has been subject to the editor’s right to change copy and is now called Flower Power!  The article speaks of the reasons why planting should be part of a sustainable build and quotes a plant’s CV.

We’ve got more coming up; look for articles in Holiday Parks Management Magazine September-October issue, ‘Keeping your greens inside and out in the best condition’ and an article in the next online magazine i-Plants (October edition) with the title of ‘Interior Landscaping in the UK’.

Dutch architects MVRDV have teamed up with design company Kloos2 to design a ‘greenhouse hotel’.

The greenhouse will be filled with fresh flowers and the hotel will be located at Aalsmeer the flower capital of The Netherlands if not the World!  The Flowerbed Hotel is still in the planning stages but will include 280 rooms set in this giant glasshouse.

The hotel will include all the usual features – guest rooms, a conference centre and spas as well as 6,800 square feet of flower beds!  These will be planted on every level of the hotel to create a public flower garden that guests can enjoy year round.

The lobby area will of course welcome guests who are not staying at the hotel as well as those who are.  The hotel will also feature a number of green walls which as eFIG knows are such a growing trend that they will soon become commonplace.  The green walls will provide fresh air and help to control temperatures – so these green walls will really be put to work not just a nod towards what we know the plants can do.

Roofs and terraces will include photovoltaic panels to collect solar energy for use throughout the hotel complex.  Renewable energy in the form of power supplied by Windmills will also be used.  Holland going back to its roots!

The Flower Hotel will be built soon as a complementary feature to the planned Bloomin’ Holland theme park.

A series of releases from efig member Ambius has some cost-saving suggestions for clients.

As a result of the financial climate Ambius are explaining to potential clients including hotels and restaurants via the media how they could cut costs by replacing cut flowers with plants.

The saving say Ambius could be £1,000 per cut flower display.

They suggest replacing the fresh cut flowers  either with potted plants specifically focusing on the orchid , eFIG Plant of the Year this year.  Alternatively they suggest silk flowers.

This way the landscaper offers sensible advice retaining client confidence and importantly not losing this aspect of the account!

You can read their release here.

Did you know that Coca-Cola is now making plastic bottles containing 30% plant material?  Coca-Cola having already launched them in a number of countries from Brazil to Sweden, has also launched them here.

With the launch here in the UK this will keep Coca-Cola on-track with their predicted 5 million roll-out in 2011.

Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle gives them a lighter footprint; it was awarded as Best New Product – sustainable Packaging by the Edison Awards 2011 and as winner of Dupont’s Packaging Innovation award.

This story was reported by eFIG member Plantforce in their newsletter at the same time spreading the word about their own ‘light footprint’ using glass fibre containers which are made from recycled glass.

In a recent blog, Dr Craig Knight of Prism commented on the fact that workplace experts are clueless when it comes to measuring workplace productivity.

Workplaces frequently equate cost-savings with better productivity and manage space making it ‘tightly controlled, uniform and spartan’.

Knight’s research uses scientific methodology and finds time and again that the correlation between well-being and productivity is direct and that miserable spaces – like the ones alluded to above – make for miserable performance.

His research in cooperation with eFIG member Ambius has pointed to the fact that office decoration and empowerment of staff can lead to increased productivity by as much as 32%.

EILO Congress 2013

The next Congress will be in Amsterdam

Time:  8th November 2013

Friday in the same week of Horti Fair and Trade Fair

Program:

One day event, with dinner in the evening.

Speakers, Workshops, “Interior Landscaping Fair”, Awards and Gala Dinner

Check te complete programm »

Place:

Van der Valk, Hotel Schiphol, Hoofddorp, Netherlands

See you there!

EILO’s main objective is to communicate the importance of plants and indoor plants in particular.

Just consider what plants can do at your working place!

Indoor Plants:

• Reduce absence due to illness, by as much as 10% (Fjeld)
• Improve productivity, by as much as 12% (Lohr)
• Improving concentration, by as much as 23% (Berg, Lohr)
• Enhancing creativity (Ulrich, Hesselink)
• Absorbing noise (Costa)
• Reduction in workplace negativity (Burchett)

EILO’s other main objectives are support and initiating research, improve quality by sharing information and gather the trade in meetings and encourage communication.

Moderator: Rob van Dijk

SPEAKERS:

Start: 09:00 uur
Translation from English to German and French.

	Cees Podt, Chairman EILO Managing director of Ambius in Central and Northern Europe, such as Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
	Egbert Roozen, EILO-lobbyist – Lobby in Brussels. Since 2009 Egbert Roozen is director of Branch Organisation VHG in The Netherlands. Branch Organisation VHG is the organisation for gardeners, landscapers, tree specialists, roof and façade planters and interior landscapers in The Netherlands. VHG represents the collective and individual interests of her members on on socio-economic and business area
	Peter Oei – Greening up the built environment Programdirector Stichting Innovatie Glastuinbouw (SIGN). This Foundation is initiated by LTO Glaskracht Nederland. For the implementation of it’s agenda SIGN has an alliance with InnovatieNetwerk, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and initiated and finances InnovatieNetwerk. SIGN contributes to strategis innovations to strengthen the top sector Horticulture & Source materials.
	Karin Senneff – Plants are not optional Ms. Senneff earned her degree in Education from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.  She currently serves as the Registered Trainer Instructor and Spokesperson for Green Plants for Green Buildings where she educates Interiorscape business professionals how to inform and influence the architectural and design community about the significant benefits inherent with including plants in all environments where we work, play and rest.
	Rob Creemers – Trendwatching Penetrating, original and contemporary (multimedia) vision of the future. Rob Creemers is active in the IT sector since 1980. He was manager production control and IT at Siemens in South Africa in the eighties. Back in Holland he worked as a software support manager at Olivetti, before he founded his own company, Techno Trends. As trendwatcher and market analyst he monitors all new developments on ICT, energy, the ageing society and globalisation.
	Emmanuel Mony, ELCA more info will follow
Lunch
Workshops
	1. Visit Suppliers
	2. Karin Senneff – Plants are not optional Ms. Senneff earned her degree in Education from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.  She currently serves as the Registered Trainer Instructor and Spokesperson for Green Plants for Green Buildings where she educates Interiorscape business professionals how to inform and influence the architectural and design community about the significant benefits inherent with including plants in all environments where we work, play and rest.
	3. Dewi Hartkamp – Plants at school Since February 2009 Dewi Hartkamp is Program Manager of SIGN. She boosts innovations by connecting players in the horticulture cluster and abroad in innovation projects. She also feels responsible for the ins and outs of the Foundation SIGN and the Program Management.
	4. Marie Dreiman – Do architects like nature? Interior Architect (member of the Swedish Association of Architects) and Designer MFA. Owner of Filter Studio, interior architecture- and design studio in Stockholm. Former Professor in Textile Design at the Swedish School of Textile in Borås and Senior Lecturer in Textile Design at the University College of Arts Crafts and Design (Konstfack) in Stockholm. Experience from interior architecture projects in all scales.
AND MORE…	Evening programme with dinner and EILO Award.

Introducing the Board and Chairman

“Urbanisation continues to rise. Towns and cities are busier and busier, which places increasing pressure on greenery. Here lies the ultimate challenge for interior landscapers to provide more greenery in, on and on top of buildings”, says chairman Robert van Aerts. 

EILO connects

Robert van Aerts is chairman of the EILO. “Urbanisation continues to rise. Towns and cities are busier and busier, which places increasing pressure on greenery. Here lies the ultimate challenge for interior landscapers to provide more greenery in, on and on top of buildings.” This is his motivation for being actively involved in the EILO. “Interior greenery is under pressure, we must convince decision-makers and politicians that greenery is more than decoration alone.

Greenery contributes to people’s health, well-being, happiness, productivity and creativity. Compare it with the Working Conditions Act and HSE regulations. Manufacturers of office supplies and furniture lobbied intensively to get these issues on the political agenda. And with success. Why shouldn’t we be able to do the same for greenery? Time and again research has demonstrated the added value for people of greenery. Together with the EILO, we can influence public and political opinion. The EILO can connect the worlds of interior planters, designers, decision-makers and politicians and inspire them to develop attractive, creative and functional application of interior greenery. I feel called to contribute to this.”

 Robert van Aerts together with Alexander Hildebrand and Christian Engelke during the recent annual general meeting of the German Fachverband, where he delivered a presentation explaining the importance of the EILO in Europe.

The members of the board of the EILO are Robert van Aerts (representing the suppliers), Alexander Hildebrand (Germany), Juliette Castro (France), Ola Weister (Sweden, Nordic Green) and Marc Custers (Netherlands, secretariat).

The first EILO award was presented during the EILO congress in 2013. One of the major winners was the Swiss company Crea Plant, for activities including the Avatar project. The EILO offers you the opportunity to visit this company together with colleagues across Europe.

The excursion is scheduled 6 and 7 March 2015. The trip starts on 6 March in Zurich, where you will be able to visit some of the most high-profile projects in Switzerland.

After dinner, the evening programme will consist of a brief general meeting of the EILO followed by ample opportunity to informally exchange international experiences and ideas.

The next day offers participants an opportunity to visit the Masoala project in Zurich Zoo. All in all a unique chance to take an interesting look behind the scenes of international colleagues.

If you would be interested in taking part in the excursion, please send an e-mail to info@eilo.eu. Further information will be published later this year on the EILO-website: www.eilo.eu.

In collaboration with Into Green, an initiative by EILO member VHG in the Netherlands, the first edition of EILO’s International Green Newsletter was launched on 10th of October 2014. This newsletter is published six times a year and distributed to all members of the EILO in their respective countries. These currently consist of 5 international sector associations for interior landscapers. The aim is to keep members informed of EILO activities in Brussels, to share knowledge and to exchange information and key developments in the members’ countries.

Every newsletter will also include a number of articles with links to www.intogreen.en. This website is developed in the Netherlands and regularly has new content on greenery in buildings. Background information based on research which helps to demonstrate the added value of greenery, but also a site with beautiful images and ideas to inspire potential customers. This website is already a great success in the Netherlands. It is a popular topic of discussion and is often shared on social media (Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest). Over the next year EILO plans to roll out the website across Europe, with German and French translations. In so doing, your sector association aims to convince potential customers and politicians that plants are more than decoration alone.

Europe in full swing

After the elections for the European Parliament in May and the formation of a new European Commission, Europe is in full swing again. During the elections the interior landscape branch could count on the interest of EP-member Dennis de Jong who was eager to know what he could do for our branch in order to create new market chances and to break down European limitations. Specifically for our branch he stood open for commitment on the realisation of a standard for interior greenery in buildings He advised to get in touch with other stakeholders in order to create support for this idea. This lobby will be worked out in the coming period. Besides this the European Commission is working on a new program which is called ‘Nature Based Solutions in Renaturing the Cities’. In the next five years there will be a considerable budget available for showcase development and supporting scientific research. This offers also opportunities for the interior landscaping branch. Egbert Roozen, who is also performing the political lobby for EILO, is one of the experts in the preparation of this EU-program. If you might have any suggestions for possible showcases with this context, you can get in touch with him by email e.roozen@vhg.org. Also for more information about EILO-initiatives in Europe, you can contact him.

Im Gegensatz zu anderen europäischen Ländern sieht die Auftragslage in der Innenbegrünung noch immer sehr gut aus. Es wird kräftig gebaut und die Konkurrenzsituation ist überschaubar. Trotzdem gibt es einige Wolken am Horizont. Das Klima für international tätige Firmen hat sich durch einige Volksabstimmungen klar verschlechtert. Zudem ist der Finanzplatz Schweiz stark unter Druck. Das Steuer-Erfolgsmodell Schweiz scheint nicht mehr salonfähig zu sein. Die wenigen Innenbegrünungsfirmen in der Schweiz machen sich gegenseitig das Leben schwer. Die Gewinner sind die grossen Unternehmen, welche hohe Mengen zu tiefen Preisen anbieten. Für die Raumbegrüner wäre es wichtig, die Margen hoch zu halten, damit Sie wieder investieren können. Innovationen sind für unsere Branche enorm wichtig, doch auch diese verlangen Investitionen. Es fehlt auch an guten Fachkräften auf dem Markt. Nicht selten müssen wir im nahen Ausland nach geeigneten Mitarbeitern suchen. In der Ausbildung zum Zierpflanzengärtner wird nach unserer Ansicht der Bereich Innenbegrünung zu wenig professionell unterrichtet. Leider ist keiner der grösseren Innenbegrünungsfirmen in der Ausbildung engagiert. Zudem gibt es immer weniger junge Menschen, die eine Zierpflanzengärtner-Ausbildung abschliessen. Es scheint, als wären die Zukunftsaussichten für junge Ausbildungsabsolventen nicht attraktiv genug. Die konventionelle Innenbegrünung mit bepflanzten Gefässen hat sich stark verändert. Anstelle der Begrünung aller Arbeitsplätze werden eher nur noch punktuell Pflanzen eingesetzt, dafür jedoch in üppigen Gruppen: Kundenzonen, Pausenzonen und an sonstigen repräsentativen Orten. Der Kunde und der Innenbegrüner haben bei der Bestimmung der Gefässe meistens die Qual der Wahl. Trotzdem gibt es zu wenig qualitativ hochwertige Gefässe aus nachhaltiger Produktion. Es scheint, dass der Preis vor Qualität und ökologischer Verantwortung kommt. Die Funktion einer Begrünung wird immer wichtiger, die Budgets für Pflanzen immer knapper. Eine Entscheidung für eine Begrünung hängt oft mit einer zusätzlichen Funktion zusammen: Die Begrünung als Feuchtigkeitsspender, als Sichtschutz oder Wegführung. Ungebrochen ist der Trend zu neuen Begrünungssystemen wie Vertikalbegrünungen: Als ganze grossflächige Pflanzenwände oder als einzelnes Wandbild.

On December 1, 2 and 3 of this year, the biannual trade fair Paysalia will take place in Lyon, France. This is one of the larger international fairs for professionals in the green industry. The trade fair draws over 14,000 visitors (see also: www.paysalia.com). This year a lot of attention will be spent on interior landscaping with extra stands and presentations.

The EILO board has decided to organise the third international EILO conference during the Paysalia trade fair. After having convened in Amsterdam twice already, the board feels it’s significant to convene in one of the other countries. This will make it easier for local interior landscapers to be involved in EILO activities. More details about the programme will be announced at a later date.