The use of artificial plants, both at home and at the office, has been gaining traction over the last few years. This can be attributed to the numerous studies done by researchers and other stakeholders. According to a study led by Marlon Nieuwenhuis from the School of Psychology, you can simply enhance your employees' productivity and quality of life by investing in landscaping the office with some green plants. By introducing green plants, whether artificial or natural, you can increase productivity by up to 15%. Today, artificial office plants are a newer and more cost-effective trend that has swept over the UAE. Professional landscaping companies in the UAE are creating artificial plants that can fit on office desks and offer numerous benefits to organisations. Here are a couple of artificial plants that you can place on your desk.
14 artificial office plants that can be put on your desk
Like natural plants, there are thousands or even hundred of thousands of different artificial plant varieties around the world. With that being said, all of these plants have different characteristics and offer various benefits to their environment. But what are some of the suitable artificial office plants that you can place on your desk?
Article was originally published by Planters Artificial. Read more here https://bit.ly/2LSi7Z5
The rapid growth of the flexible office and coworking markets over the last five years is evident, with more than 4 million sq. ft. of space leased to flexible office providers in Central London, according to a new report from Hubble in partnership with JLL.
Although WeWork often dominates the headlines, the London market remains highly fragmented, with more than 150 providers offering some form of flex or coworking space in more than 650 separate locations.
At the end of 2018, flexible offices had a 6.3 per cent share of the Central London market (14.7 million sq. ft.) and this figure is set to keep growing. By 2023, flexible offices are projected to grow to an 11 per cent share of overall office stock in London.
The report analyses areas which have seen the highest demand, and in turn increases in prices, and where tenants can secure cheaper space. Temple has seen the greatest increase in cost per desk (69 per cent) between 2017 to 2018. The regeneration of Victoria has been reflected in desk price with an increase of 30 per cent, closely followed by Hoxton (25 per cent) and Marylebone (25 per cent).
We get a lot of assumptions made about coworking. It’s fine, we get it. For a lot of people, working in a shared space is very different from how they have worked in the past, and that leads to this idea that it’s somehow for ‘other people’. Despite the explosion in recent years of different ways to work and different environments to work within, all kinds of coworking misconceptions have built up around shared workspaces.
So, let’s debunk some of the coworking myths we hear the most.
Coworking Misconception 1
“Coworking is only for freelancers and start-ups.”
A look around any shared workspace will throw up all kinds of people, doing all kinds of jobs in all kinds of situations. There will be freelancers and startups – mainly because shared workspaces are the most affordable and accessible way to reap all the benefits of a modern working environment without any of the complications. There will also be employees from all types of businesses, from a small local company to a vast global empire – because ‘floating’ employees tend to be happier, spend less time commuting and cost less than those in a central office. There may be groups of people from the same company, or an entire company running its day to day operation from a shared workspace – because they have a ready source of collaborative professionals and are keeping their overheads down and productivity up.
GCC economies, led by the UAE, are diversifying and attracting new investments. The events market is one of the most dynamic and fast-moving in the region. Brands must compete for the attention of sophisticated locals and stylish visitors. Every marketing and promotional event planner is striving to take their efforts to the next level. Using event rentals can be an important resource helping you transform your vision into reality.
Delivering Creative Events to Inspire & Engage Customers
Events are now more than ever an essential part of any effective business development toolkit. And because of the increasing digitalisation, the way that companies approach branding and marketing has dramatically changed.
With experiential marketing, brands can create unforgettable experiences and allow companies and customers to interact online as well as in real life. They create events that engage all the senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. By using temporary structures and top-quality furnishings and accessories, you can achieve just that and create that distinctive atmosphere for your event.
How Event Rentals Can Positively Impact Your Brand Experience
Event staging is one of the most critical dimensions of successful events. If you want to represent a brand, or highlight a company’s product/service, event styling is crucial in creating the proper atmosphere. Well-appointed furniture, fittings, and other design elements like plants, wall hangings, and lighting, all contribute to generating a positive impression on your customers.
What happens when you would really love a garden but your city apartment didn’t come with an extra acre for a garden? For most people, this would be the end of their dream. At Planters, we design plush gardens in the smallest of spaces through a modern technique called vertical gardening. If you have ever, for a second, thought that your space wasn’t large enough, here is how the addition of a living vertical garden in Dubai and Abu Dhabi can make your dreams come true. For those who haven’t joined the growing bandwagon yet, here are a couple of reasons to contact us.
Ideal for Indoor Spaces
Many people believe that their only option in an indoor space is to add a couple of potted plants throughout the space. While potted plants can work, they are limited in size. Furthermore, they either take up valuable workspace or the floor space, limiting some of your other design choices or impacting your ability to do certain duties.
Living green walls can provide a large amount of greenery without having to sacrifice any work surfaces or floor space. This can be ideal when you are already dealing with a small space and want to experience the benefits that a green scenery offers.
With all the recent advances in artificial plant and green wall technology, the possibilities of installing a green wall design are indeed endless. The wide range and variety of artificial greenery available today have seen the design of green walls become an art form in itself. As companies like Planters Artificial become more specialised in this new way of utilising all manner of spaces within a business, the design possibilities continue to grow.
We are very proud to announce that we have been awarded the Gold LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM) certification for the ongoing operations and maintenance of our headquarters.
The LEED EBOM certification identifies and rewards current best practices and provides a framework for buildings to use less energy, water and natural resources; improve the indoor environment; and uncover operating inefficiencies. The certification requires implementation of policies such as the sustainable purchasing of materials, equipment and consumables, and the extensive monitoring and tracking of operations.
To be the only company in our industry according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) among a total of eleven companies in the UAE is a huge achievement. We would like to thank both our team and our green partner Green Technologies for their continued support in helping us to lead a ‘greener’ lifestyle.
For us, achieving the LEED EBOM certification was the next step on our ongoing CSR journey. As a company that walks the talk, placing our clients, partners and the business community at the forefront of our operations; the next step for the team in achieving sustainability excellence was to go beyond our Gold LEED certification for interiors and develop an ever-evolving sustainable framework for the premises, its operations and maintenance.
Article was originally published by Summertown. Read it full here https://bit.ly/2Y3StXL.
Next week you’ll get fit because your deadline will have passed. Next week you’ll get fit because you need to lose a few kilos for summer. Next week you’ll get fit because that doughnut shop on the way to the office won’t distract you anymore…
And on it goes – but next week never comes, right?
You’re always too busy or too tired. You keep meaning to get a bike (or mend that puncture) and cycle everywhere. You keep meaning to join the gym but you never quite have the money.
And then the motivation finally hits; you join the gym, go three times a week, workout like you mean it, and then the motivation wanes and the gym visits stop, leaving you with a wardrobe that looks like a clothes rack at the sports store *and* a monthly dent in your wallet.
It’s time to stop. Stop beating yourself up, and stop dreaming that next week will be the optimum time to get fit. (And put that doughnut out while you’re reading this…)
There is a way. A path of least resistance, and a few simple things you can do to get on the road to fitness. We recently posted a blog on some deskercises you can do to get that blood flowing. But now, we want to dig a little deeper on some more ways you can increase your fitness in the office!
Article was originally published by Areaworks. Read it full here https://www.areaworks.com/top-tips-on-keeping-fit-in-the-workspace/.
Establishing the mood; that is where each interior design starts. First, a thorough research into the wishes of the client is initiated through a meeting at the Caspaiou showroom, a site visit and a first selection of items, fabrics and colors. During the next meetings the proposal will be fine tuned, various lay out alternatives will be discussed, changes will be implemented and a quotation will be submitted.
Caspaiou is multibranded
Caspaiou is multi branded, this enables us to create a new and unique atmosphere customized in accordance with your specific wishes. Not being bound by any particular brand, we can freely select furniture, lighting, accessories and art. Naturally, the design services include all aspects of the interior, including carpets, curtains and wall decoration. Based in Dubai, Caspaiou has accomplished numerous projects throughout the Middle East and across Europe.
While salaries and bonuses used to be the measure of success in the workforce, workplace perks, such as flexibility and location are becoming more important for much of today’s workforce. The most recent IWG Global Workspace Survey found that when faced with two similar employment offers, 80% of employees would turn down the one without flexible working.
In addition, 54% said that the flexibility to choose their own work location was more important than an increased holiday allowance. Similarly, according to research from Powwownow, three-quarters of UK employees said they would be more likely to consider a job with flexible work options, while a third would prioritise it over an increase in pay.
These days, with increasing advancements in technology, it’s possible for most workers to work from any place at any time. Flexible working has been found to improve job satisfaction and talent retention. Additionally, an HSBC survey found that 89% of workers feel that flexible working motivates them to be more productive at work.
What are your thoughts on the term biophilia? Have you every walked past a a local farm and found yourself snapping photos on your mobile phone? Or had an insatiable itch to visit that botanical garden on the other side of town, even though you may not consider yourself very outdoors-y?
What exactly is biophilia? The theory of biophilia refers to our innate tendency to want to connect with other forms of life. This may be the push that drives you to trek across town to the gardens or offer to take a neighbor’s child to the zoo (we all know it was your idea!)
Biophilic environments can be anything that allows this to happen. It could be a living green wall in your office or landscaping that allows a person to connect with nature.
We all want to feel connected to our surrounding environment. But before you go sprinting into the woods, let’s take a look at everything you need to know about biophilia.
In this article we will cover:
Biophilic environments reduce stress and help people relax, in the office as well as at home.
Multiple writers, pyschologists, and scholars support the benefits of biophilic environments.
Living walls in the UAE are great examples of biophilic design.
Modern architecture is allowing entire cities to incorporate elements of biophilic design.
The term has caught the attention of multiple writers and scholars
Edward O. Wilson wrote a book called Biophilia in 1984. Christopher Marley wrote a book of the same name, which The New York Times notes is an ode to humans’ affection with living things, ‘icky and otherwise.’
The term was first used by psychologist Erich Fromm in 1964. It has come to reflect a methodical approach to landscaping. Landscapers in Dubai have incorporated the approach for years through living green walls and other plant-based attractions. Here at Planters, we’re self-confessed addicts of the term. We’ve built a company around helping clients incorporate living walls in the UAE. In that way, you can consider us scholars of biophilia.
Restaurant interior design is a reflection of the restaurant’s branding and vision. Establishments in the food and beverage industry compete with one another based on factors such as pricing and location. Considering every business places importance on these major factors, those that will be keen on their design will take the win.
Design is most probably the first thing your customers will notice as they enter your restaurant. That will form a lasting impression and dictate how they perceive your brand. You can greatly influence the customers’ psychology with just the interior design. It can make them order more, pay you more visits and stay longer, all to your advantage. As a restaurant design company in Dubai, seeing that the design is very important for the success of your restaurant, we have compiled a list of common mistakes in interior design by restaurants today.
In the lead up to Dubai Expo 2020, which is expected to be the largest global exposition ever in terms of exhibitors and visitors, it is interesting to look back on the interwoven history of global expositions.
Exhibits have evolved from simple display cases crammed with objects in the case of museums, and standard wooden booths displaying equipment or products, to colourful and complex installations that tell a story about the brand. Today, the primary objective of exhibition stands is not just to move products or promote services, but to create engaging, immersive experiences that will resonate with visitors a long time after the event. This means focusing on how to generate an emotional connection with people to lock in brand loyalty and to lead to recurring business, and not just one-time sales.
How does a walk in the park make you feel? What about going outdoors to get some fresh air and be with nature? It’s rejuvenating, isn’t it? Replicating this within your office or business space can be a challenge mainly because plants need to be maintained. They require certain environmental conditions for them to thrive. However, there's a saving grace. Artificial plants can perform similar functions with less management. They're not affected by the environment around them. All you need is to install them and you're good to go.
Where can artificial plants boost your mental health
In as much as the modern world has become a concrete jungle, achieving the same ambience of nature can be done with artificial plants, be it in business premises, medical offices, school campuses, or public areas. They have a positive direct impact on our mental health. And good mental health equals increased productivity. Here are some areas where they’ve become significantly useful.
Being an entrepreneur is infinitely rewarding, but sometimes it can seem like there’s so much you have to do that it’s difficult to find any time for yourself. Luckily, Nicholas Harding, CEO of peer-to-peer lending company Lending Works, has given us some top tips to help you manage your workload and learn to relax as a new entrepreneur.
Running a business is hard work, especially when you’re just starting out and there’s so much to do! It can sometimes be hard to find ways to step back and relax, so we have some great advice on how you can get a much-needed break.
Delegate tasks to other team members
When you’ve got your own company, you’re always going to want to have things done properly. You know what they say: if you want something done right, do it yourself. But you’re only one person and you simply can’t do every job. This means you’ll eventually have to start delegating tasks to others, as your team begins to grow. It can be hard, especially when you’re still in the early stages and you’re so invested in the business idea, but it really will help you in the long run. You might find it easier to start by delegating the lower priority and lower impact tasks and gradually build this up.
Organising any conference involves thoughtful planning and hard work. If you are doing it from abroad, it requires even more effort. The Middle East meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry is becoming extremely dynamic and more welcoming by the day. Many major events are being organised in the region, including the Special Olympics World Games 2019 in Abu Dhabi, and Dubai Expo 2020. Saudi Arabia is increasing investment to attract a share of the booming market. Bringing your event to a new space can open up a new vista for your conference attendees and elevate the profile of your event.
In the region, the UAE currently dominates the sector attracting around half of all the events because of its advanced capabilities. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are world-class destinations offering first-class infrastructure and services. For example, the Federal Tax authority has removed VAT on services provided at exhibitions and conferences. Visa regulations are also simplified for some nationalities.
It can be tricky organising a conference from abroad but if you follow basic guidelines, you will find it easy to manage everything smoothly.
What are your routines to stay fit and healthy? Is it a walk or run, maybe hitting the gym once in a while? You may have a variety of activities up your sleeve.
But what about your mind? Yes, we do need to keep paying attention to our bodies, but our minds are also very important. Did you know that our brain is pretty similar and needs exercises to stay fit?
There are some brain flexing activities you’ve probably heard before – sudoku and crosswords are supposed to increase your brain activity. And while these brain-teasers are great, there is more to it than a quick puzzle.
So, let’s dive into it!
In order to “train” your brain and stimulate it in the right way, the activities need to be novel and complex. Let’s take a look at our daily lives and the fixed routines we tend to create. For our brain, more routine means less decision making. Especially in the digital era, our lives are over saturated with information and short term, easily accessible stimulus.
ut yourself in your customers' shoes and imagine walking past your business. Rugged walls. Faded paint. Overgrown plants. Dry grass. Dirty pathways. Dirty windows. Rusted signposts. Ugly trees. Angry birds. Do you see any of those characteristics on your landscape? Would you be pleased to be associated with such a business?
We hope not.
The human brain is more receptive to sight than sound, whether consciously or subconsciously. And so, in any business, the first thing we tend to grasp is the exterior space of the business. Before you speak to any customer about how good your services or products are, they’ve already made a judgment about the same, whether knowingly or unknowingly, just by looking at your landscape. It's called subliminal messaging. You should use it to your advantage. How? Read on. https://www.planters.ae/blog/exterior-landscape-features-for-business
Your Journey to a Greener Office: Why it Should Include LEED?
At a global level, buildings and the construction industry are jointly responsible for nearly a third of energy-related CO2 emissions in 2018. [2] Transforming commercial and residential buildings and adopting sustainable design, construction and fit out approaches is one of the major actions we can take to tackle climate change. The UAE has placed combating climate change as one of its core objectives, even renaming the Ministry of the Environment as the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and expanding its mission to implement comprehensive programmes to protect the UAE’s unique environment and to reduce the impact of climate change. The Green Agenda 2030 specifically addresses sustainable building and construction.
If you are a UAE-based company, project developer or owner, you will be aware of the multiple initiatives undertaken by the government to promote sustainable building and the various certification schemes. Wanting to be more environmentally-aware is not just an ethical choice for business; it is becoming an operational necessity. In previous posts, we’ve discussed the many benefits of sustainable office fit out. There are countless benefits to having a green office in terms of productivity, and profitability. “ Green” certification is important because it ensures that contractors are complying with all the relevant local regulations and international standards for a sustainable build and that there is an objective third-party verification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is one of the most popular and wide-spread green building rating systems in the UAE and globally. [3]
In 2017, Core Savills identified over 550 projects in Dubai undergoing LEED certification. At that time, Dubai was one of the top 10 countries with the most LEED projects (outside the US). [4][5] The UAE is a trailblazer in terms of environmental action in the region. For example, in April 2019, it was announced that Dubai is the first city in the region to receive the highly prestigious LEED for Cities Platinum certification. [5] The LEED City rating is measured across 14 metrics relating to the energy and water sector, waste treatment, transportation, human experience, education, prosperity, equality, and health and safety. The intent of the rating is to encourage all cities to measure and improve performance, and focus on the effects of ongoing sustainability efforts.
As humans, living in modern developed economies, we spend much of our time indoors. On average, Americans spend 87% of their time inside buildings and an additional 6% in vehicles. [6] Improving conditions in buildings can have a measurable impact on occupant health and well-being. According to the IEA (International Energy Agency), the buildings and building construction sectors are together responsible for 36% of global energy consumption and nearly 40% of CO2 emissions. [7] Any sustainable interventions to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions have to include changes to the ways we construct and inhabit buildings. LEED, as the most widely known green building certification, can help companies and contractors improve human health, increase productivity and reduce negative environmental effects.
Everything You Need to Know About LEED
What Is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)?
The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non-profit organisation that was one of the first initiatives to address the need for a green building standard by developing LEED – an independent verification system for green building. Beginning in 1998, LEED has evolved from: “…one standard for new construction to a comprehensive system of interrelated standards covering aspects from the design and construction to the maintenance and operation of buildings”. [8]
LEED is a point based green building rating system certified by US Green Building Council, and has synergy with other external best green building practices (e.g. ISO, ASHRAE, Cradle to Cradle and WELL). There are four levels of LEED certification based on points awarded – Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum being the highest level of certification.
LEED certification provides evidence from an independent third party that a building was designed, constructed, fitted out or maintained to improve environmental performance. The certification can also help to guarantee that projects have been implemented or maintained at the highest levels of sustainability.
