Whether it is an office building or a shopping center, many organizations are looking to increase the serenity and sense of tranquility of their locations. As such, building owners are looking to offer their employees or customers refuge from the noise and stress-inducing surrounds that occupy other buildings. One way building owners can accomplish that goal is through the use of indoor plants.
How exactly do plants reduce noise? There are many ways botanicals can achieve this, so we will cover the basics.
One way is through deflection. When sound waves hit flexible materials, such as plants and their parts, the material will vibrate and the sound waves are then transformed and deflected into various directions. When plants are not present, these sound waves hit rigid items in the room such as walls or desks, and since these structures are not flexible enough to vibrate, the waves will bounce off the wall and back towards the source of loud sound.
Plants are also great at absorbing sounds. The various parts of a plant, such as bark, thick leaves and branches are effective at reducing sound, since their surfaces can absorb the waves better than structures in the room. In this case, quantity over quality is key. The more plants, the more likely unsolicited noise will be reduced.
The third way plants reduce noise is through refraction. Plants work similar to fully carpeted homes; when a home or office is full of hard surfaces, noise can bounce and echo throughout the facility. Plants work the same way. When plants are added throughout your building, they refract the sound, which will reduce the sounds that travel throughout your space.
While sometimes white noise is inevitable, introducing plants to your space is an easy way to reduce unwanted sounds. Indoor plant life creates a welcoming and calm environment by reducing the disruptive noise.
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