Living Walls in Healthcare: Enhancing Patient Recovery and Well-Being
Advertisement
Kathleen Kilgour Centre, a radiation treatment center located in Tauranga, New Zealand. Installed by Natural Habitats Landscape. Photo: Natural Habitats Landscape
Introduction
In the quest for more sustainable and therapeutic healthcare environments, living walls—also known as green walls or vertical gardens—have gained increasing attention. These vertical structures, adorned with lush plant life, offer a striking blend of natural beauty and practical benefits. While traditionally seen as an eco-friendly addition to urban spaces and offices, living walls are now being embraced in healthcare settings for their profound environmental, physical, and psychological advantages. Let's explore why living walls should be incorporated into healthcare environments and how they can promote the well-being of both patients and staff.
Environmental Benefits: A Breath of Fresh Air
One of the most well-known advantages of living walls is their positive impact on the environment. In healthcare facilities, where the indoor air quality can be affected by cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, and ventilation systems, incorporating living walls can be a powerful solution to improving air quality.
Improved air quality: Plants filter dust and other harmful particulate matter that can cultivate and aggravate respiratory issues for occupants. Many species also act as biofilters, removing airborne toxins, dust, and pathogens. In healthcare settings, where sterile conditions are essential, the improvement in air quality provided by a living wall can contribute to a healthier environment for patients, employees, and visitors alike. For example, known species for purifying air are peace lillies, chinese evergreens, philodendron, ZZ plants, spider plants, and more.
Temperature regulation: Living walls can act as natural insulators. They help regulate indoor temperatures by providing shade, cooling the air through evapotranspiration, and reducing the need for artificial heating or cooling. This energy-efficient aspect of green walls can lower operational costs for healthcare facilities while reducing their carbon footprint by reducing energy consumption.
Noise reduction: Plants and their associated growing medium absorb sound, making green walls an effective solution for minimizing noise pollution in often bustling and noisy healthcare settings. For patients who are sensitive to noise or require peaceful surroundings, this is a crucial benefit.
Advertisement
The lobby of Clinical Mind, a medical communications company located in Hoboken New Jersey. Photo Credit: Ecowalls LLC
Physical Benefits: Enhancing Patient Recovery
Living walls have been found to offer a variety of physical benefits, particularly for patients in healthcare environments. Studies have shown that exposure to nature, even in the form of indoor greenery, can accelerate recovery times and improve overall health outcomes.
Faster recovery rates: A landmark study conducted by Dr. Roger Ulrich in the 1980s found that patients recovering from gall bladder surgery in hospital rooms with views of nature experienced shorter hospital stays, fewer complications, and required less pain medication than those with views of brick walls. While this study focused on natural landscapes visible from a window, the principles apply to indoor living walls as well. Research from more recent studies has continued to support this, showing that patients exposed to natural elements, like green walls, tend to have lower heart rates and reduced blood pressure—critical markers of physical recovery. Ulrich, R. S. (1984).
Kathleen Kilgour Centre, a radiation treatment center located in Tauranga, New Zealand. Installed by Natural Habitats Landscape. Photo: Natural Habitats Landscape
Enhanced physical rehabilitation: Living walls provide a calming, nature-inspired environment that can encourage patients to engage in physical therapy or mobility exercises. Being in a space that feels natural can make the often-difficult process of physical rehabilitation more inviting and less intimidating for patients.
Psychological Benefits: Nature as a Healing Agent
Beyond the physical, living walls have profound psychological impacts on both patients and healthcare workers. The concept of biophilia—the innate human connection and attraction to nature—suggests that exposure to natural elements can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which are common in healthcare settings.
Reduction in stress and anxiety: Living Walls and other forms of nature are proven to reduce stress levels by providing a peaceful and restorative setting; as well as provide enhanced feelings of well-being. For patients facing uncertain diagnoses, long recovery periods, or the general anxiety that accompanies a hospital stay, living walls offer a sense of calm and reassurance. This psychological comfort can be a powerful adjunct to medical treatment.
Improved mental health for employees: Healthcare professionals often work long hours in high-pressure environments, leading to burnout and mental fatigue. Incorporating living walls into break areas, hallways, or patient rooms can provide staff with restorative micro-breaks. In 2011, Annerstedt and Wahrborg focused on nature-assisted therapy (NAT) methods. They reviewed dozens of healthcare studies that revealed measurable results experienced by both staff members and patients exposed to nature. When reviewing the studies, they found that the staff performed at optimal levels, increased employee satisfaction, and improved retention rates.
Enhanced mood and emotional well-being: Patients and staff alike benefit from the aesthetic appeal of living walls. The presence of natural beauty has been shown to enhance mood, increase feelings of happiness, and create a more positive atmosphere. In healthcare environments, where sterile and clinical settings can sometimes feel impersonal, living walls bring warmth and vitality.
Advertisement
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital located in Singapore. Installation by Vertical Green. Photo Credit Vertical Green
Case Studies: Living Walls in Action
Many healthcare facilities have embraced the power of living walls and reaped the benefits. Here is a sampling:
Bethesda North Living, Ohio: In its main lobby, Bethesda North installed a large vertical garden designed to reduce stress and promote relaxation. The wall has become a centerpiece of the cancer center’s healing environment, and anecdotal reports from patients and staff indicate that the greenery has contributed to improved mental and emotional well-being.
Kathleen Kilgour Centre, New Zealand: Kathleen Kilgour implemented a living wall in its main entryway as part of its focus on patient-centered care. The natural installation has been praised for creating a welcoming atmosphere, and patients have reported feeling calmer and more comfortable upon entering the radiation treatment center.
St. Luke’s Hospital, Oxford: A vertical garden was added to this hospital's central courtyard, providing a refreshing contrast to the clinical surroundings. Feedback from families and staff has been overwhelmingly positive, with many noting the calming influence of the greenery on both children and adults.
St. Luke’s Hospital located in Oxford, United Kingdom, maintained by Biotecture. Photo: Biotecture
Conclusion: A Growing Need for Living Walls in Healthcare
The benefits of living walls in healthcare settings go far beyond their aesthetic appeal. Living walls can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable environment while offering significant physical and psychological advantages to patients and healthcare professionals. With evidence pointing to improved recovery times, reduced stress, and enhanced well-being, it's clear that living walls have a powerful role to play in the future of healthcare design.
Incorporating living walls into healthcare facilities is not just a trend; it's an investment in better patient outcomes, staff satisfaction, and environmental sustainability. As more hospitals and clinics recognize the value of biophilic design, we can expect to see living walls become a common feature in the spaces where healing happens.
Advertisement
Lily Turner, Well AP, is the Director, Green Walls, at Urbanstrong in New York, and the Chair of the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities’ Green Wall Committee. Lily will be teaching a masterclass on Green Walls at CitiesAlive in Toronto Nov. 6. For details, click here.
For more information
Ulrich's Study on Patient Recovery:
Ulrich, R. S. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science, 224(4647), 420-421. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.6143402
Research on the Benefits of Living Walls in Healthcare:
Annerstedt, M., & Wahrborg, P. (2011). Nature-assisted therapy: Systematic review of controlled and observational studies. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 39(4), 371-388. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494811407897
Impact of Plants on Air Quality:
Wolverton, B. C., Johnson, A., & Bounds, K. (1989). Interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement. Final Report, NASA Contractor Report 3720. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19890020700
Noise Reduction and Living Walls:
Peled, A., & Bachar, J. (2021). Green walls as a sound insulation measure in hospitals: A review of the evidence. Journal of Environmental Management, 277, 111459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111459
Temperature Regulation and Energy Efficiency:
Sanusi, A. M., & Abubakar, S. I. (2020). The impact of green walls on building energy performance: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 124, 109795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.109795
Benefits of Nature in Healing Environments:
Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.
Case Study References:
Urban Blooms. (n.d.). Bethesda North – TriHealth Cancer Center.
Kathleen Kilgour Centre, New Zealand: Natural Habitats Landscape. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Natural Habitats Landscape’s website or related source].
St. Luke’s Hospital, Oxford: Biotecture. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Biotecture’s website]