Trees provide enormous benefits on both macro and micro scales for human health and as a key component in combating climate change. Beyond their obvious beauty, they heal people and places and provide substantial ecosystem benefits, including reducing urban heat island effect, managing, and cleaning stormwater, capturing carbon, filtering air pollution, and providing habitat for birds.
Substantial research has been undertaken to measure the impact of trees on recovery for patients in hospitals, and the results are clear. Trees and greenery can heal and speed a sick person’s recovery simply by being in sight.
Since the 1980s, environmental psychologists have studied the effects trees have on patients at hospitals seeing trees and greeneries versus a brick wall. They found patients who have view of trees heal faster, use fewer pain medications, and leave the hospital sooner than patients who didn’t have a view of greenery, and patients with a view of trees spent 8 percent fewer days in the hospital.
DeepRoot is proud to be able to provide a cost-effective solution to the challenge of growing mature trees in confined spaces and we’ve provided the Silva Cell solution and increased tree canopy growth at over 20 hospitals, rehabilitation, trauma, and healing centers around the world. Here is a selection of just a few of the great projects we’ve worked on to bring trees to patients in health care settings.
DeepRoot Silva Cell projects at Hospitals and Medical Centers
Children’s National Hospital | Washington, D.C.
Quick facts:
270 1X Silva Cells
117 m³ (4,123 ft3) of total soil volume
10 trees on the rooftop garden structure.
Specifically planted near the rehab center to help patients heal.
Completed in 2018
Orlando VA Medical Center | Orlando, Florida
Quick Facts:
1,000 1X Silva Cells
30 Live Oak trees in the parking lot.
Providing shade and mitigating heat island in a tropic climate and pavement that absorbs heat.
12.4 m³ (438 ft3) soil volume per tree
Completed in 2013
Lexington Medical Center | Columbia, South Carolina
Quick Facts:
282 2X Silva Cells
10 trees planted in an outdoor plaza.
The trees are intended to shield the building from the late morning sun, cooling the building, and providing a place for visitors and patients to meet and relax.
19.6 m³ (693 ft3) soil volume per tree
Completed in 2019
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center | San Jose, California
Quick Facts:
552 2X Silva Cells
23 trees will improve the pedestrian experience.
Integrating stormwater management, establishing relaxation, recovery, reducing stress in patients, families, and staff.
6.7m³ (590 ft3) soil volume per tree
To be completed in fall 2021
Women’s College Hospital | Toronto, Ontario 
Quick Facts:
300 1X Silva Cells
8 trees in the plaza and at the new entrance on Grosvenor.
An Oasis for both patience and staff.
14m³ (493 ft3) soil volume per tree
Completed in 2018
Children’s National Hospital rendering courtesy of Elkus Manfredi
