Editorial Posted by Naava on March 14, 2014
Kamal Meattle: How to Grow Fresh Air?
The speech of Indian researcher Kamal Meattle at a TED conference has gained a lot of popularity.
Kamal became seriously allergic to polluted air in Delhi. In his speech, he tells how everyone of us can solve the problem of bad indoor air by growing three kinds of ordinary houseplants at home or at the office. Kamal explains that he has suffered from serious lung problems due to polluted air. The capacity of his lungs fell to 70%, so the impure air was about to kill him. With help of NASA research he found the solution to his problem – and where else than in the nature.
If 1200 house plants are able to improve the health of 300 people in Delhi, what is the effect of FreshWall’s air purification efficiency of 6300 plants on you and your loved ones?
Better health with houseplants
Kamal and his research group found out that by growing three different ordinary houseplants it’s possible to produce all the clean indoor air that we need to stay healthy. In addition, the research shows that with these plants also the requirements of the ventilation can be lowered without compromising the air quality standards. All of these three plants have their own specific properties according to which they’ll be placed at home or office to purify the indoor air.
Areca Palm removes the carbon dioxide and converts it to oxygen. Mother-in-law’s Tongue is suited for the bedroom because it does the same particularly at night. Money Palm removes formaldehyde and other volatile chemicals. Kamal says that the plants should be treated by wiping the leaves and bringing them out from time to time. The plants need to grow either in sterile soil or using a hydroponic cultivation technique. In this respect, FreshWall takes a step forward – we are using aeroponics and the plants grow without any mold!
The houseplants and their effects on human health were researched in a 20-year-old and 4600 square meters large building in Delhi. There were 1200 plants placed for 300 people, which means four plants per one person. The government of India published the research, according to which the building in question is the healthiest building in New Delhi. The research indicates that there is a 42% probability that the blood oxygen level increases 1% if you are staying in the building for 10 hours. The research also shows that the health symptoms, such as eye irritation, respiratory problems, headache, lung injuries and asthma, decreased significantly. According to experience also the people’s productivity increased and the building energy consumption decreased up to 15%.
FreshWall provides a natural solution to a global indoor air problem
Why is this subject so important? Kamal presents some alarming numbers for the future. He says that the world's energy consumption is estimated to increase by 30% during this decade. Up to 40% of the global energy will be consumed in buildings. A growing trend is to live and work in air-conditioned buildings in metropolises. In addition, more than half of the world's population will be living in these cities.
If 1200 house plants are able to improve the health of 300 people in Delhi, what is the effect of FreshWall’s air purification efficiency of 6300 plants on you and your loved ones? As Kamal Meattle quotes Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”.
How does FreshWall make the indoor air naturally clean? Read more here.