House Plants that Purify the Air

As building and materials technology advances for greater energy efficiency, homes and offices are built and designed to allow little unwanted ventilation. As a a result, indoor air pollutants are unable to escape and are 5-10% more concentrated. Inadequate ventilation can often lead to 'sick building syndrome' that can result in discomfort and serious illness in its human occupants.

       Studies originally conducted by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) have proven that certain common houseplants provide a natural and refreshingly low-tech,  cost effective means to clean indoor air. The studies concentrated on three main airbourne pollutants: formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene. These and other common indoor pollutants such as asbestos, radon, lead and carbon monoxide are often emitted from furnishings (fabrics, carpets,wall coverings) office equipment and building materials. It was found that houseplants (at a rate of two per 100 sq.ft. of floor space) can absorb up to 85% of these pollutants offering safer, cleaner air. Use the following chart to choose the most efficient plants to combat pollutants most certainly affecting your home and office environment.

For your reference,

We have prepared a list of plants.

The file is in pdf format and requires Acrobat Reader.