How much have you invested in the landscaping of your corporate campus? No, really… it is an investment. Trees offer a variety of benefits to corporate campus owners and users. In addition to enhancing the aesthetics of the property, trees lower heating and cooling costs and reduce noise and air pollution. Read about the benefits below.
Increase Property Value
Studies show that when landscaped with trees, property value increases by up to 20 percent. Offices also rent more quickly and have higher occupancy rates than office buildings that aren’t landscaped with trees. A similar increase in property value applies to homes too.
Save on Heating and Cooling
When properly placed around a building, trees can act as windbreaks. As a result, property owners could save up to 25 percent on winter heating costs (which will come in handy during our Minnesota winters). Likewise, a young, healthy tree has a net cooling effect that is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.
Lower Employee Illness and Absenteeism
In a survey of desk workers with and without views of nature, those without claimed 23 percent more incidence of illness in the prior six months than those with views of nature. As a result, offices that provide these views see a lower percentage of absenteeism. Greater employee productivity has also been reported.
Reduce Noise and Air Pollution
Trees absorb and block sound, reducing noise pollution by as much as 40 percent. Each tree remove roughly 10 pounds of pollutants per year including ozone and particulates. For each acre, enough carbon monoxide is absorbed every year to equal the amount produced when a car is driven 26,000 miles.
Outdoor Spaces Foster Connectivity
A technique adopted by university campuses across the country, well-landscaped outdoor spaces invite people to connect and engage with each other. Building users are also more likely to stay on the property throughout the day because they have an additional place to congregate. As an added bonus, one study found that people who walked through areas with a high population of trees had less cortisol (which is a stress hormone), a lower pulse rate and lower blood pressure than those who walked through an urban setting.
