Effects of Green Plants on the Indoor Environment and Wellbeing in Classrooms—A Case Study in a Swedish School

Itai Danielski, Åsa Svensson, Kerstin Weimer, Lena Lorentzen and Maria Warne
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Itai Danielski: Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Åsa Svensson: Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 Östersund, Sweden
Kerstin Weimer: Department of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 Östersund, Sweden
Lena Lorentzen: Design AB, 828 91 Edsbyn, Sweden
Maria Warne: Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 Östersund, Sweden

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-23

Abstract: Many schools in Sweden lack a proper indoor environment due to, e.g., poor thermal-envelope properties, overcrowded classes, poor visual appearance and insufficient ventilation. This study aims to explore the integration of a large number of indoor green plants into classrooms’ environments. This case study consists of three parts: measurements of the indoor environment including a final energy model, a questionnaire to the pupils with questions about their well-being and qualitative interviews with teachers. The case was two classrooms in a secondary education facility in central Sweden with an average annual temperature of 3 °C and a long and dark winter period with snow. The results showed 10% lower CO 2 and slightly higher and more stable temperatures due to the green plants. Worries about climate change and war among the pupils decreased after several months with the plants and worry about infectious disease increased. The teachers experienced fresher air from the plants and used the plant stands for a flexible classroom design. The conclusion is that indoor plants have the potential to contribute to a better indoor environment, but due to the high number of uncontrolled variables (including the effect of COVID-19) in measurements of real-life conditions, more studies are needed.

Keywords: CO 2; indoor temperature; plant stand design; psychosomatic symptoms; pupils; school stress; truancy; worry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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