Sustainable Energy First Case Study
When Sustainable Energy First moved into its new office, the vision was clear: create a workspace that felt vibrant, welcoming, and deeply connected to the organisation’s environmental values.
Green Office Solutions
When Priory Hospital Birmingham began refreshing its administrative and clinical support areas, the goal was simple but deeply important: create a calmer, more supportive environment for the staff who care for others every day.
In healthcare settings, the physical space can influence everything from stress levels to communication and concentration. Priory Hospital wanted an environment that eased pressure, restored energy, and aligned with its commitment to patient care and staff wellbeing.
Green Office Solutions was appointed to design and install a biophilic scheme that would bring nature into the heart of the hospital without disrupting clinical operations. The result is a workplace that feels softer, quieter, and more human.
The challenge
Priory Hospital Birmingham is a high-pressure environment where staff move between clinical responsibilities, paperwork, multidisciplinary meetings, and fast-paced decision-making. This creates unique challenges:
- Administrative areas that felt functional but clinical
- Long days spent under artificial light
- High cognitive load and emotional stress
- Limited natural views and little visual contrast
- Staff support spaces that did not reflect the calming environment they needed
The brief was to enhance these spaces in a way that supported mental wellbeing, reduced environmental stress, and signalled to staff that the hospital takes their working environment seriously.
The challenge was to create meaningful impact without obstructing movement, hygiene routines, or safety protocols.
Our approach
Green Office Solutions designed the project around biophilic design principles that have been proven to reduce stress in healthcare environments. The installation focused on three core spaces.
1) A calmer, more welcoming reception
The reception area at Priory Hospital is a busy, emotionally charged space where families, patients, and professionals cross paths. Previously it leaned heavily toward function: clear lines of sight, seating, and documentation desks.
We introduced:
- Tall, layered planters to soften corners and create a gentler arrival
- A mix of warm, natural textures and foliage to reduce the clinical feel
- Plant groupings designed to make the space feel safer and more familiar
The effect is subtle but powerful. Families describe the space as “less intimidating”, and staff say the change has made a noticeable difference to daily mood and first impressions.
2) Staff offices designed for focus and recovery
Hospital staff often switch rapidly between high-intensity situations and quiet administrative work. The old office layout offered little relief for tired eyes and overstimulated minds.
Green Office Solutions introduced:
- Mid-height planters to create gentle zoning without stopping sightlines
- Desk-adjacent greenery that supports visual micro-breaks and reduces eye strain
- Cool-tone foliage that calms rather than overstimulates
- Species suited to low, indirect lighting and steady conditioned air
This wasn’t about decoration. It was about helping the mind settle. Staff reported that the space feels “less relentless”, making it easier to focus after a demanding shift.
3) Quiet corners for reflection and essential downtime
Breakout spaces within hospitals carry more emotional weight than in most workplaces. They are places where staff decompress, step away from difficult cases, and recalibrate.
Green Office Solutions created softer, more restorative areas by adding:
- Natural planting clusters that absorb sound and create a shield from surrounding activity
- Gentle planting silhouettes that promote a sense of refuge and calm
- Warm wooden textures and paired foliage to create a grounded, peaceful atmosphere
Staff described the result as “a breath of fresh air indoors”, giving them a moment to reset before returning to clinical duties.
Supporting wellbeing, naturally
Biophilic design has proven benefits in healthcare settings, particularly for stress reduction and mental clarity. Priory Hospital Birmingham has seen clear and immediate impact across its teams.
Measured and observed benefits include:
- A calmer emotional environment
Spaces feel less clinical and more caring. This has a direct impact on staff demeanour and comfort. - Reduced stress after high-pressure moments
Natural forms give the nervous system something familiar and grounding to connect with. - Better concentration for administrative tasks
A calmer visual field makes paperwork and digital work noticeably less draining. - Greater staff pride in their environment
Staff feel the hospital is investing not just in patient care, but in the people delivering it. - Improved first impressions for families
Visitors notice the difference immediately. The space feels more compassionate and less sterile.
Practicality for a clinical environment
A hospital environment demands absolute practicality. All planting solutions were chosen with healthcare-grade considerations in mind.
- Non-toxic, hypoallergenic species
- Planters that allow easy cleaning around and underneath
- Stable, hygienic materials appropriate for clinical environments
- Low-maintenance, durable planting that stays healthy year-round
- A scheduled maintenance plan that keeps the responsibility away from stretched teams
Every decision supported infection control, safety, and operational flow.
The impact
Within weeks of installation, Priory Hospital Birmingham reported:
- Noticeable improvements in staff mood
- More use of staff breakout areas
- Positive comments from clinical teams and managers
- A softer, more professional aesthetic that aligns with modern healthcare design
- Feedback from visitors noting the space “feels more human”
One staff member put it perfectly:
“It makes the tough days feel a bit lighter.”
Conclusion
The Green Office Solutions installation at Priory Hospital Birmingham shows how powerful biophilic design can be in a healthcare setting. This project wasn’t about turning a hospital into a garden. It was about giving staff, patients, and families an environment that feels cared for, calming, and thoughtfully designed.
By weaving nature sensitively into reception, offices, and breakout areas, the hospital has created a supportive atmosphere that enhances wellbeing, focus, and emotional resilience.
It’s a reminder that the places we work in matter, especially in environments where people give so much of themselves to others.
