This e-newsletter brings you the latest information and resources on biophilic design, the industry, and GPGB updates. 

Photo Credits: Interior Plantscapes

A major shift is underway in commercial interior design: plants are no longer viewed as decorative features but as integrated systems that enhance wellbeing, spatial experience, and building performance. Across workplace, hospitality, and mixed-use environments, interiorscape is becoming a strategic component of the built environment rather than an afterthought.

One of the most significant trends is the earlier integration of greenery into the design process. Architects and designers are specifying plant systems alongside lighting, architecture, and building infrastructure from the earliest project stages. This reflects the evolution of biophilic design, where nature is treated as a foundational design element rather than a finishing touch.

The return-to-office movement is also driving demand for nature-integrated workplaces. Organizations are increasingly investing in environments that support employee wellbeing, focus, and engagement. Research continues to link biophilic spaces with reduced stress, improved concentration, and enhanced workplace satisfaction, positioning interiorscape as a tool for performance and retention.

Another emerging concept is “calibrated biophilia.” Rather than maximizing greenery, designers are strategically balancing plant density, placement, and scale to achieve the greatest wellbeing benefits. This approach emphasizes thoughtful distribution and measurable outcomes over simply adding more plants.

Leading projects are also moving toward multi-sensory environments that combine living plants with natural materials, dynamic lighting, and other sensory elements. Plants are increasingly being used to define spaces, strengthen brand identity, and create immersive experiences while maintaining operational practicality through resilient, low-maintenance plant systems.

The key takeaway for the industry is clear: biophilic design is becoming a baseline expectation rather than a luxury. As a result, interiorscape professionals are taking on a larger role in project planning, helping create integrated living systems that support human health, enrich user experience, and contribute to long-term building performance.

Credits: International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), ART Health Solutions, and GSK workplace research on healthy building design and employee well-being.

As organizations continue to rethink the workplace experience, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has emerged as a leading example of how thoughtful workplace design can directly support employee health, well-being, and performance. Through the development of its new global headquarters in central London, GSK has created what is widely recognized as one of the world’s healthiest workplaces.

The project was driven by a simple but ambitious goal: create a work environment where people can thrive. To achieve this, GSK partnered with the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and ART Health Solutions to incorporate science-based design principles and evidence-backed workplace strategies throughout the building.

Rather than relying on assumptions, GSK invested heavily in research. Pilot studies and workplace testing demonstrated that healthier work environments can deliver measurable benefits for both employees and organizations, including improved well-being, enhanced cognitive performance, and positive financial returns. These findings helped establish a strong business case for prioritizing health-centered workplace design.

A key component of GSK’s approach was the use of ongoing research “sprints” that allowed teams to test, evaluate, and refine workplace strategies before implementing them at scale. This process ensured that design decisions were informed by real-world data and employee feedback rather than trends alone.

The headquarters incorporates many of the principles championed by the WELL Building Standard, including features that support physical health, mental well-being, inclusion, comfort, and collaboration. Advanced building technologies, environmental controls, and carefully designed workspaces work together to create an environment that promotes employee thriving.

Perhaps most importantly, GSK demonstrated that healthy workplace design can be successfully scaled across a global portfolio. By translating research findings into repeatable workplace standards, the organization created a blueprint that can be applied across future locations.

For employers, designers, and facility professionals, the lessons are clear: investing in employee health through workplace design is not simply a wellness initiative—it is a strategic business decision. Healthy, inclusive workplaces help attract and retain talent, improve performance, and build organizational resilience in an increasingly competitive environment.

As workplace expectations continue to evolve, GSK’s headquarters offers a compelling example of how evidence-based design can create spaces that benefit both people and business outcomes.

How can automation reduce costs while improving plant health in commercial buildings? In this presentation from BOMA 2025, Rebecca Bullene, Founder of Greenery NYC, shares practical strategies for leveraging automation in plantscaping to create more efficient, scalable, and sustainable interior landscape programs.

Drawing from her experience designing and managing innovative biophilic environments, Rebecca explores how technologies such as automated irrigation, monitoring systems, and smart maintenance practices can help property managers, facility teams, and building owners reduce operational expenses while maintaining thriving plant installations.

In this session, you’ll learn:
• How automation is changing the future of commercial plantscaping
• Strategies for reducing maintenance and labor costs
• Best practices for scaling interior plant programs
• Ways technology can improve plant health and longevity
• How biophilic design contributes to healthier, more attractive workplaces

Rebecca Bullene is the Founder of Greenery NYC, a leading botanical design and plant services company specializing in commercial interiors, hospitality environments, and large-scale biophilic design projects. Her work focuses on creating plant-forward spaces that enhance occupant well-being while delivering operational value.

Register with promo code AIA26EXGST for a FREE Expo Pass to AIA26!

The architecture and design industry’s premier event, the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design 2026, takes place June 10–13 in San Diego, bringing together thousands of architects, designers, and AEC professionals focused on the future of the built environment.

Green Plants for Green Buildings (GPGB) invites attendees to explore how plants and nature can enhance health, well-being, and building performance through an immersive biophilic design experience at Booth #4544.

Step Into a Living Demonstration of Biophilic Design:

More than just an exhibit, the GPGB booth will showcase how natural systems influence human behavior, productivity, and wellness within built environments. Visitors will experience firsthand how thoughtfully integrated plants can create spaces that feel calmer, healthier, and more engaging.

Visitors to the GPGB booth can:

• Experience the benefits of biophilic design firsthand
• Connect with qualified plantscaping professionals and service providers
• Learn about GPGB’s accredited continuing education opportunities
• Explore the latest research on plants, occupant wellness, and workplace performance
• Discover practical strategies for incorporating living plants into commercial, healthcare, hospitality, and workplace projects

Why Nature Matters:

As designers and building owners seek healthier, more sustainable environments, biophilic design continues to gain momentum as a proven strategy for improving occupant experience and building performance. Research has linked indoor plants and nature-integrated spaces to reduced stress, improved mood, enhanced cognitive function, and greater occupant satisfaction.

Whether you’re designing new spaces or improving existing ones, GPGB can help you understand how plants contribute to healthier, higher-performing buildings.

Join Us at AIA26:

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the power of nature in design and connect with industry professionals advancing biophilic solutions across the built environment.

Register today using promo code AIA26EXGST to receive your FREE Expo Pass and visit GPGB at Booth #4544.

We look forward to seeing you in San Diego!

As the commercial interiors industry gathers for NeoCon 2026, June 8–10 at THE MART in Chicago, design professionals from around the world will come together to explore the latest innovations shaping the future of the built environment. Recognized as the premier event for commercial design, NeoCon attracts architects, interior designers, facility managers, manufacturers, and workplace strategists seeking solutions that improve both occupant experience and building performance.

This year, Green Plants for Green Buildings (GPGB) is proud to offer an accredited virtual CEU presentation:

Wellness-Driven Interiorscapes for Sustainable Design

Presented by Shane Pliska, GPGB Director and President of Planterra

As organizations increasingly prioritize employee well-being, sustainability, and healthy buildings, the role of nature in interior environments has never been more relevant. This research-based course explores how interior plants and biophilic design strategies can create healthier, more productive, and more engaging spaces.

What You’ll Learn

Participants will gain valuable insights into how interiorscapes contribute to:

• Improved indoor environmental quality
• Enhanced occupant wellness and stress reduction
• Increased cognitive performance and productivity
• Greater occupant satisfaction and connection to place
• More sustainable and resilient interior environments

The session also examines the growing influence of neuroaesthetics—the science of how environmental design impacts the brain—and how biophilic elements can positively affect human health and behavior.

Designing for Performance

Drawing from current research and real-world case studies, attendees will discover how plant systems can serve as strategic design tools that support project goals across workplace, healthcare, hospitality, education, and public environments.

The course will also explore how interiorscapes can help projects align with leading healthy building frameworks, including WELL and LEED, while delivering measurable benefits for occupants and organizations alike.

Meet the Presenter

Shane Pliska is President of Planterra and a recognized leader in biophilic design, interior landscaping, and living architecture. His work has helped transform commercial environments through innovative plant installations, living walls, and nature-integrated design solutions. As a GPGB Director and industry advocate, Pliska brings decades of practical experience and research-based expertise to this engaging educational session.

Join GPGB at NeoCon 2026

NeoCon’s focus on innovation, connection, and the future of commercial interiors makes it the ideal setting to explore how plants and biophilic design can help create healthier, more sustainable, and higher-performing spaces.

Whether you’re designing workplaces, healthcare facilities, hospitality environments, or public spaces, this CEU offers actionable insights that can elevate both your projects and occupant outcomes.

Learn how interiorscapes are transforming the future of commercial design—one space at a time.

Each month, GPGB supporters come together for an interactive Open Forum designed to foster collaboration, share best practices, and address the challenges and opportunities shaping the interiorscape industry. Held on the last Wednesday of each month at 12:00 PM EST, these peer-driven discussions provide a valuable opportunity to learn from industry leaders and fellow professionals.

Over the past year, participants have explored a wide range of timely business and industry topics, including:

• Building and maintaining partnerships with architects and designers
• Leveraging artificial intelligence in business operations
• Customer service excellence and long-term relationship building
• Improving profitability and financial performance
• Emerging design and workplace trends
• Technology solutions for interiorscape businesses
• Lease versus purchase pricing strategies
• Strategic planning and business growth
• Optimizing direct labor efficiency
• Recruiting, retaining, and developing future talent

These conversations have provided actionable insights, practical solutions, and fresh perspectives that supporters can apply directly to their businesses.

Coming Up in June: Holiday Décor & Interiorscaping

As the industry prepares for the busy seasonal selling cycle, our next Open Forum will focus on Holiday Décor and Interiorscaping. Participants will discuss trends, sales strategies, operational considerations, and opportunities to maximize revenue through holiday programs while strengthening client relationships.

Whether you’re looking to expand your seasonal offerings, improve profitability, or learn what is working for other companies, this session promises valuable takeaways and peer-to-peer insights.

Join the Conversation!

GPGB’s Open Forums help supporters stay informed, connected, and prepared for the future by bringing together professionals committed to advancing plants, sustainability, wellness, and performance in the built environment.

All GPGB supporters are encouraged to participate, share their experiences, and contribute to the ongoing conversation.

Not a supporter yet? Join GPGB to gain access to these exclusive forums and be part of the conversation shaping the future of biophilic design and the built environment.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Your engagement helps drive GPGB’s mission forward—elevating green building practices and expanding the role of nature in the built environment. Because of you, we’re able to advocate, educate, and innovate in ways that positively impact both people and the planet.

Here are a few recent highlights made possible through your support:

• Inspiring the Next Generation: GPGB proudly sponsored the Interior Plant Identification and Biophilic Interiors Learning Sessions at the NALP National Collegiate Landscape Competition, helping educate and inspire future industry leaders.
• AIA Conference on Architecture 2026: We look forward to connecting with many of you at our upcoming booth, continuing important conversations around sustainable, human-centered design.
• NeoCon 2026 CEU: GPGB will present Wellness-Driven Interiorscapes for Sustainable Design, exploring how integrated plant design supports health, productivity, and performance.
• Advancing Inclusive Design: We’re developing a new CEU on Designing Neuroinclusive Spaces, expanding the dialogue around wellness, accessibility, and biophilic environments.

Your support makes this work possible. Together, we’re shaping healthier, more sustainable, and more inclusive spaces.

Bring Your Projects to Life with Biophilic Experts

Designing healthier, more sustainable spaces starts with the right team. The GPGB Provider Directory connects you with trusted interiorscape professionals, suppliers, and growers who specialize in integrating plants into the built environment.

These experts do more than install greenery—they partner across the project lifecycle to design, source, install, and maintain living systems that enhance wellbeing, improve indoor environments, and support productivity. Whether it’s custom plant installations, innovative containers, or ongoing care, GPGB’s network delivers solutions that align with your design vision and performance goals.

Explore the GPGB Provider Directory and discover how to seamlessly integrate nature into your next project—with confidence and expertise.

Credits: The Lattice Office
Designed by: H2 Architects

Featuring a climate-responsive lattice façade and integrated greenery throughout the building, The Lattice Office demonstrates how architecture and nature can work together to create healthier, more sustainable workplaces. The project uses layered planting, daylight optimization, and energy-conscious design strategies to support occupant well-being, productivity, and environmental performance while creating a visually striking workplace experience.

Credits: Plant Savvy 
Metropolis | Nashville, Tennessee

When Metropolis moved into its new office in the heart of downtown Nashville, the company partnered with Plant Savvy to create a more vibrant, welcoming, and nature-connected workplace. Through a custom interiorscape design, installation, and maintenance program, Plant Savvy incorporated more than 50 carefully selected plants throughout the office, helping bring the project’s vision to life.

The result is a dynamic workspace that blends modern design with the benefits of biophilic elements, adding warmth, visual interest, and a stronger connection to nature. This project highlights how thoughtfully integrated plants can enhance the employee experience while supporting well-being, creativity, and productivity in today’s workplace environments.

Want to Help Keep Nature in the News?

Everything we accomplish happens because people like you are stepping forward and supporting GPGB’s focus on having conversations with the building professionals who can #BringNatureIndoors.

If the spirit moves you, please consider supporting our work by making a donation.