A seemingly novel approach to improving indoor air quality is offered by a wall-based installation that uses microbes in the roots of plants to purify the surrounding air. A product incorporating the technology has just been launched by a London-based furniture company, Office Blueprint.
The brainchild of a Finnish health technology firm, the Naava Green Wall is described as “a unique piece of smart furniture which combines nature and technology to naturalise indoor air, reducing harmful chemicals and optimising humidity.” The firm behind it, Naava, says that, following a series of tests and studies, the proven effect of working in the vicinity of a one of these wall systems include a reduction in illness, less fatigue and improved cognitive performance.
The product works by absorbing indoor air through the plants’ roots and a natural soil-less growth medium, developed to avoid pests and mould. The microbes of the roots then purify the air of harmful chemicals, says Naava, and small, quiet and unseen fans return the pure and naturalised air back into the room. One Naava vertical planter can reportedly purify up to 60sq metres of indoor air and would be the equivalent of having approximately 6,000 potted plants in the same space.
Naava has designed “an effective and stylish indoor vertical planter that houses beautiful green leaved plants specified for their non-allergen properties and their high performance biophilic air purification,” says a press release, which insists the product “is not just another living wall” but rather “an intelligent piece of furniture”, alluding to the technology inside. This includes monitoring and AI, which appraises the surrounding environment and directs the wall’s functions accordingly, communicating the conditions of the plants to a service team who intermittently visit to manage weeds.
An in-built lighting system replicates natural daylight, providing the plants with a steady supply of light and fading out each evening to allow the plants to ‘sleep’ overnight.
Office Blueprint says the system’s versatility and mobility enables its use across a number of sectors including offices, hospitality, retail and educational premises. Naava can also be a mobile system, enabling versatility and the option to be used to delineate space.
Neil Jenkins, Managing Director of Office Blueprint says:
“With the average person spending 22 hours a day indoors it is of the upmost importance that toxic air quality is reduced. We are committed to healthy, inspiring and stress-free office environments which contributes to enhanced wellbeing and Naava fits perfectly with this mission and our existing product portfolio.”
The press release adds that several peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that the patented and award-winning Naava is an efficient air purifier. “In a Naava space people are happier and less stressed, make less mistakes and suffer less from indoor air symptoms (fatigue, headaches, eye irritation, respiratory problems).”
