Image created by blog author, Isabelle Lim using canva
Natural resources such as greenery are assets to our nation. They provide us with various services such as air purification, cooling our landscape and also enhancing our water quality. Sometimes we take these things for granted and do not realise trees actually provide us this services for ‘free’. Without the environment and its resources, we wouldn’t be where we are today!
Green spaces also provide economic value for the country. Well maintained green spaces are a worthy investment that generates long term revenue for our economy. One of the ways this is achieved is because adds value to the property surrounding it. One study conducted by the Future Cities Laboratory revealed that people are more willing to pay a higher price for residences near parks and green spaces. Houses near to parks tend to have higher value. In fact, a HDB flat within close proximity to a green space can fetch up to 3% more during its resale. Houses located within 1.6km of parks can be worth an additional $11,200. However, such benefits only apply to manicured nature such as parks and trees as opposed to wild nature like forest and mangroves. So why are manicured green spaces so desirable? Living next to green spaces increases the aesthetic appeal of the housing estates. Colourful booms enhances the vibrancy of the place as opposed to vacant lots or cluttered spaces which are an eyesore. Living next to the park provides the convenience of gaining access to the outdoors
Image created by blog author, Isabelle Lim using canva
Trees also help to reduce energy expenditure and increases savings in the long run. One of the benefits would be reducing air conditioning cots. Trees and yards can help absorb heat, thus naturally reducing air conditioning costs by 20 to 40%. This means the average household can save up to $250 annually. A study conducted by the U.S. Forest Service shows that trees are valued at 3 times their original costs. On average, one tree takes about $36 to plant and maintain, but it reaps $96 worth of benefits totalling to a net benefit of $60. Some off the benefits include:
- Savings in energy
- Reduction of Air pollution
- Surface runoff reduction
- Boosting property value
Click on the link to find out more about this study It pays to care for trees!
Image created by blog author, Isabelle Lim using canva
Creation of green spaces also provides more opportunities for employment and help boost work productivity. Proper management needs to be implemented to maintain these green spaces, and thus this creates new jobs for society. Singapore, with its City in a Garden vision is seeing an increasing need for manpower in the Horticulture and landscaping industry. What used to be a labor intensive job has now evolved to become a job that involves brain and not just brawns. The focus has now shifted to integrating our interaction with nature with everyday life and to instil a sense of concern for green spaces. Jobs in the industry have to be redesigned to meet the needs of modern society and through the integration of technology so we can enhance our efficiency at combating global problems such as climate change. We are not just looking to plant more trees but require smart greening strategies such as vertical greening that leverage on the constraints of our space but yet help improve the energy cost of our infrastructure.
Our landscape masterplan seeks to integrate more greenery and green technology to enhance our living spaces (source)
Many greening projects today are multidisciplinary and draw upon professions with different fields of expertise such as the arts, social sciences and biological sciences. Building towards a smarter city, the global trend of having a sustainable city creates new job opportunities for the younger generation.
Greenery fosters a conducive work environment and helps to boost work productivity. A study from Harvard shows that workers working in green certified offices boasted better health and cognitive benefits. Workers cognitive scores doubled while their quality of sleep improved and they were less likely to fall ill. Not to mention, green plants improve employment satisfaction and increases productivity up to 15%!
Image created by blog author, Isabelle Lim using Canva