Case Study Details
Client: Baringa Partners, London
Product: Office plants, sustainable solutions
Industry: Management Consultancy
Baringa Partners is a management consultancy firm based in London, providing services to clients in the energy, financial services, and utilities sectors.
In March 2020, the company moved into a new office space that could accommodate approximately 400 employees.
The company’s move was an opportunity to underscore its commitment to sustainability, and one aspect of this was the use of living plants in the office.
Aztec Plants worked with Baringa to provide living plants for their new workspace. The company was keen to reduce waste and reuse existing resources. The workspace was previously occupied by Rolls-Royce PLC, who had left behind a collection of planters and plants grown in hydroculture. Baringa decided to reuse these planters and plants, and requested Aztec Plants to help with the process.
Aztec Plants recommended to continue using the hydroculture method to grow the plants which uses water rather than soil, and it is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional soil-based planting methods. This method also allows for better control of watering and nutrition, making it an efficient and sustainable way to care for plants.
Another sustainable aspect of the project was the use of Light Expanded Clay Aggregates (LECA) to stabilize plant roots. LECA is a sustainable alternative to peat, a material that is commonly used in traditional soil-based planting methods.
Peat is not sustainable as it is harvested from wetland habitats, which has a negative impact on the environment. The use of LECA is not only sustainable, but it also allows for better aeration and drainage of the plant roots, which contributes to the plants’ overall health.
The plants selected for the office included Spiral Stem Ficus Benjamina, Aglaonema, Dracaena Compacta and Surculosa, and Codiaeum. These plants were chosen for their aesthetic appeal and their ability to thrive in an indoor environment.
The partnership between Baringa and Aztec Plants resulted in a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing workspace. The use of hydroculture and LECA contributed to the project’s sustainability focus, and the decision to reuse existing planters and plants reduced waste.
Overall, this project demonstrates how sustainable practices in growing office plants can be integrated into business operations, and how collaboration between companies can result in a positive impact on the environment.