Biophilic Design – The New Way To Reduce Office Noise?

Biophilic office design is an architectural trend focused on bringing natural materials into the interior design of offices.

With the average UK office worker spending just 7% of their time outdoors during the week, it’s no surprise that incorporating nature into our interior environments has gained momentum.

By integrating natural elements, like light, water and greenery, we can improve focus, boost creativity and reduce stress. While the psychological and physiological benefits of plants are well documented, one often overlooked advantage is their role in improving acoustic comfort.

From stress reduction to increased happiness and productivity, there is a lot of evidence supporting the benefits of Biophilic Design.

One benefit often overlooked is acoustics.

While biophilic design can undoubtedly make a happier office worker, what is making office workers unhappy in the first place?

A study from the University of Sydney found that the greatest cause of dissatisfaction amongst workers, across all office types, was the lack of sound privacy.

This was followed by temperature, visual privacy, and noise levels.

Biophilic Design can improve all these factors.

The benefits of green walls and roofs on a building’s energy performance are well documented. Green roofs and walls can cool the local climate around a building by 3.6-11.3°C.

Plants can also provide visual privacy.

But a lesser-known fact is that plants can reduce noise levels.

Plants uneven, dynamic structures make them excellent at absorbing and diffusing noise, particularly in open-plan environments where hard surfaces dominate.

Sound Diffusion: When sound waves encounter a dynamic or uneven surface, like leaves or branches, they scatter evenly around a room, reducing the intensity of noise. This creates a softer, more even acoustic environment.

Sound Absorption: The flexible structure of plants helps absorb sound waves. Similar to acoustic panels, plants transform sound energy into heat, reducing the amount of noise reflected back into a space.

The ability of greenery to regulate sound has only recently started to be highlighted by a handful of researchers.

One study tested a modular green wall in two reverberation chambers and found it achieved a weighted sound reduction index (Rw) of 15 dB and a weighted sound absorption coefficient (αw) of 0.40. For comparison, a weighted sound absorption coefficient of 0.40 is equivalent to a Class D acoustic panel.

This shows a green wall has similar or better acoustic absorption than other common building materials.  It also showed that plants were effective at absorbing low frequencies.

Increased productivity  → Studies have shown that adding greenery to the office can boost productivity by up to 15%, with employees reporting higher levels of engagement and satisfaction.

Reduced Stress → Green spaces are linked to lower cortisol levels. The presence of plants has been shown to reduce physiological stress, improve mood and create a more calming atmosphere.

Improved Health & Well-Being → Plants can raise humidity and make temperatures feel more comfortable. A Wageningen University field study found office plants reduced dry-air and health complaints and increased workspace satisfaction . Separately, the Human Spaces Report found workers in offices with natural elements reported 13% higher wellbeing.

To maximise the acoustic benefits of biophilic design, thoughtful placement is key. Here are a few practical considerations:

• Use modular green walls that are specifically designed with acoustic properties in mind.
• Opt for larger potted plants in deeper containers, which offer a greater surface area for sound absorption.
• Group plants together to create dense, sound-absorbing clusters rather than scattering them individually.
• Use shrubs and tall plants as natural partitions in open-plan spaces, helping to break up sound pathways.
• Place greenery at reflection points, such as corners or near hard surfaces, where sound is most likely to bounce and echo.

Incorporating plants into your office design supports wellbeing, boosts focus and helps control disruptive noise. With the right biophilic strategy, it’s possible to create a workplace that feels more balanced and comfortable.

• One study from the University of Queensland School of Psychology examined the impact of ‘lean’ versus ‘green’ office space on employees from two large commercial offices in the UK and the Netherlands over a two month period. It concluded that an office enriched with plants makes staff happier and boosts productivity by 15%.

• Similarly, a 2015 report by Human Spaces found that workers with access to natural light and greenery reported a 13% higher level of well-being. Rather bleakly, the report also revealed that across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 42% of workers had no access to natural light in their workspaces, 55% no greenery and 7% had no windows.

• A 2013 study out of the University of Essex found that visual exposure to the natural environment can reduce blood pressure and heart rate following exposure to a stressor. The study was carried out by comparing the physiological responses in humans to the built and natural environments following external stressors.

• A detailed list of the health benefits of biophilic design can be found from Terrapin Bright Green from their 2014 report ’14 Patterns of Biophilic Design’.