Why is Biophilic Design Important to Development?

As you look at this picture, your body naturally responds

  • Your heart rate decreases
  • Your blood pressure decreases
  • Your stress hormones settle
  • Your mental outlook improves
  • Your muscle tension eases

Bringing nature back into our developments can have the same benefits.  This means

  • Happier people/ employees
  • More productive people/ employees
  • Increased engagement

We don’t have to plant a forest, but we DO have to add trees, shrubs and perennials to make people feel better.

It also means differentiation for developers because happier, more productive and more engaged people is what business needs.  AND what the world needs.

When developers provide more access to nature in their developments, they naturally differentiate themselves by providing what people want and need.

Doctors Prescribing Nature to Patients

We’ve known for a long time that people need nature for health, well-being and survival. The medical community has confirmed it!

We’ve been bringing nature back into developments for 30 years. Now more than ever, people need to re-connect to nature. Progressive developers understand this need and are responding.

Quoting from the article “By formalizing nature prescriptions.. we can start to create a cultural change that recognizes nature time as essential for health”

 

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/02/22/ontario-doctors-set-to-turn-over-a-new-leaf-with-program-that-lets-them-prescribe-nature-to-ailing-patients.html?rf

 

Humber college Barrett Centre for Technology

Featured in the Canada Green Building council fall 2020 issue, the LEED Platinum, flagship building for Humber College demonstrates innovation and centers on wellness and durability .  The pedestrian focused site fronts onto a tree lined pedestrian corridor, connecting the front of the building to the main bus station and a major spine through campus. Sustainability features of the landscape include rain gardens, native plantings and green roofs.  Read the full article at the link below:

https://issuu.com/sabmagazine/docs/torontofall2020digital

Healthy green infrastructure starts below the surface, architect explains

Helle Brodie spoke at the 2019 Grey to Green Conference in Toronto about engineered soils as they relate to green infrastructure.  The article outlines some of the major points made in discussing challenges with implementation of engineered soils with green infrastructure.