This is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership, part funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in collaboration with Professor Michael Pitt of the School of the Built Environment at Liverpool John Moores University.

The project is run by Andrew Smith with the broad aim of developing a new high end plantscape product tailored to the needs of the commercial Facilities Management market. Plants have many benefits and this project explores the link between the plant based environment and corporate profitability.

This project examines the nature of the plant based interior design operation within the corporate environment and will offer an optimum solution within high end buildings and organisations. It will define customer expectations and quantify workplace productivity implications through extensive applied research in both a practice based setting and at the Company headquarters.  The project will include development of the tendering process and demonstrating added value to prospective customers

The broad aims of the project are as follows:

1. Through research develop an understanding of customer needs, creating a new detailed customer expectation map.

2. Research, explain and demonstrate the link between the plant based environment and corporate profitability

3. Re-develop the existing interior plant product to reflect the different customer requirements. 

4. Develop a new total high end “Plantscape” product. This will be tailored to the high end commercial FM market. 

5. Carry out field trials of prototype product. 

6. Develop and implement an innovative service delivery model for high end multiple contract management solution partnerships. 

7. Develop and implement innovation and creativity management techniques that reflect the blue chip FM market.