Sustainability and the City - Center for Urban Green Spaces

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featureDeep PandeyVijai SinghalPushp D. PandeyWorkplace GreensProductivity with healthAccess to natural elements in urban systems has been found to promote physical health,relaxation, positive emotions, tranquillity, revitalization, satisfaction, cognitive fitness andpsychological well-being. Thus, provisioning of green space in the workplace can contributeto health and happiness of workers.Stress and stress-related diseasesare increasingly becomingmajor health challenges withan enormous cost for individuals,organizations and communities.Workplace is both a source oflivelihoods and a major contributorof stress and related illnesses. Greenspaces in the office environmenthave been found to reduce stressand enhance productivity. Evena view of greenery through theoffice window or a small stroll inthe office garden can help upliftmood and cheerfulness. Indeed,access to natural elements in urbansystems has been found to promotephysical health, relaxation, positiveemotions, tranquillity, revitalization,satisfaction, cognitive fitness andpsychological well-being. Thus,provisioning of green space in theworkplace can contribute to healthand happiness of workers.Interestingly, workplace green spacesare among the least studied typesof urban green infrastructure. Inour recently-assembled databaseof globally published research onurban green spaces comprising of15765 papers, there are just abouta few papers on workplace greenspace. With this understanding, wedeveloped a small workplace greenspace in the campus of RajasthanState Pollution Control Board,Jaipur. Benefits of urban green spacesare wide-ranging including physicaland psychological health, socialcohesion, climate change mitigation,pollution abatement, biodiversityconservation and provisioning ofthe ecosystem goods and service tourban inhabitants.The building of the State PollutionControl Board came into theexistence in year 1992 and since thenit had a open space enclosed by rowsof trees around its boundary wall.However, it was felt by employeesthat the open space was not adequateboth looking to the size of the officeand workforce employed, as wellas structural elements of nature.Accordingly, in year 2009 the openspace was redesigned with newlearning. The main emphasis wasto increase the total area undergreenery and introduce a diversity oflocal species.Deep N Pandey Ph.DRajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB), Jaipur, India; Vijai Singhal (RSPCB, Jaipur);Pushp Pandey (ISPLASH Creative Consulting, Ghaziabad).(Email : dn.pandey@gmail.com, singhalvijai@gmail.com, pushpdeeppandey@gmail.com)18 urbanature
Workplace GreensProductivity with HealthThe existing vegetation around theboundary wall was retained and twoadditional rows of trees were plantedall along the boundary to providea dense cover of tress to enhanceaesthetic appeal of the building fromoutside and green view from officewindows.Responsibility for lookingafter each new tree planted has beenassigned to a member of the workforceto create a sense of belonging. Twolarge lawns, dotted with tree speciescapable of developing into very largetrees, were also developed at thefront of the building to provide asoothing view to the workforce andthe visitors. These lawns are alsoused by the office personals to haveGreenway leading to office buildingsmall walks or to just relax for a fewminutes. Efforts have been made thatone should be able to have periodicvisual exposure of one or the otherelement of green space from most ofthe office rooms.As noted earlier, an important featureof the green space is plantation oflocal key-stone species of tress suchas peepal (Ficus religiosa), neem(Azadirachta indica), and bargad(Ficus benghalensis) which are likelyto develop large canopies once fullydeveloped. It is a well establishedfact that humans feel awe-inspiredduring rest or walk beneath suchlarge-canopied tress. These trees aregrowing very well and it is hopedthat in coming years, they will furtherenhance the beauty of the buildingand provide comfort to its occupants.Ficus trees are among the cultural andecological keystone as well as usefulin urban air pollution mitigation.Several species of frugivorous birdsand bats are likely to visit large Ficustrees contributing to biodiversityconservation in human-dominatedlandscapes. Likewise, multiple-useneem trees are a regular element ofurban systems across dry regionsof the world. To enhance thehabitat heterogeneity of the greenspace, tree-like structures made ofreinforced cement concrete have alsobeen erected along both sides of theshort drive-way leading from mainentrance to the lobby, and in thefront parking area. These structuresare now covered with thick foliage ofvarious species of climbers providingliving canopy to drive-way and theparking place.In coherence with evidence-basedinsights on developing small urbangreen spaces for health, happinessand stress reduction, the RSPCBworkplace green space has 5 keyelements that make it useful for all.These are:• Heterogeneity and richness of naturalelements: grass, flowering herbs, shrubsand climbers, variety of tree species, greenislands, and rows of mixed vegetationalong with climber-canopies. In literature,these natural elements are suggestedto contribute the most to high ratingson restoration, health and relaxationoutcome. Preservation of existing treesand vegetation further add to habitatheterogeneity for birds and butterflies andenhanced visual appeal as a moderatelydense vegetation.• Design with a sense of security andplace-identity: enclosed boundaries,good seating pockets on natural grass,openness, potential to enjoy sun & shadeat will, socialising corners, and sittingpockets that face natural elements. Themost liked elements that help in stressreduction are structural components suchas combination of grass, shrubs, trees, andJuly 201319
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