“Green” Comes in All Shapes and Sizes at FSC
November 11, 2019
Professor Stevie Famulari
That’s a review posted on Amazon.com about Green Up!, a book just published by Professor Stevie Famulari, assistant professor in the Department of Urban Horticulture and Design. The 160-page book’s subtitle says a lot more about what it’s all about: “Sustainable Design Solutions for Healthier Work and Living Environments.”
Says Professor Famulari: “In order for green-design practices to get to a wide variety of people, Green Up! is created with illustrations, photos, and text – a variety of ways to understand how greening can be a part of your life. It can be applied to small- scale interior private sites, through exterior public neighborhood scale, and everything in between. Think horizontal, vertical, no soil, air plants, using rain water – there are so many options for healthy greening.”
According to Professor Famulari, virtually any space can be “greened”: residential space; offices, lobbies and retail spaces; healthcare facilities; and buildings near airports, train lines, and highways. Imagine a world in which everyone took Dr. Famulari’s recommendations.
In the chapter on healthcare facilities, she writes about the benefits of green design: “… design can lower blood pressure and stress in people who see or work with the plant materials. Focus and clarity can be improved using plants with scents associated with memory. The energy of a space is invigorated with plants which have different stages of growth and bloom for an extended period of time. Interior plants may require full spectrum bulbs, which also improve eyesight. Working with plants can improve physical health by caring for and tending to the plants as they grow.”
Sounds like a prescription for a healthier, happier life.
