Gorgeous green walls: The next big thing in green building designBar Refaeli Photo

Gorgeous green walls: The next big thing in green building design

A green wall – often confused with a vertical garden or a sky farm – is either free-standing or part of a building with some sort of vegetation, seeking to make amends to the lack of space on the ground. These green walls don’t only add a definitive grace to a building’s façade, they also help filtering air into edifices. Since the living walls require no soil for sustenance, the only prerequisite is water; and that too, in abundance. Through the hydroponics systems they rely on, green walls can sustain almost all sorts of vegetable growths.

The Trend:

Before we go into particulars, let’s differentiate between green façades and living walls. Green façades feature plants that are rooted into the ground, while living walls are built from pre-vegetated panels or integrated fabric systems. You can see modern office buildings, homes, and even the retail stores adorned with green façades nowadays.

Green walls focus on offering unusual visual landscapes to onlookers. Business setups are coming forth to embrace the green tendency. It’s but sensible for a company to create leafy green indoor or outdoor green walls. Not only will it promote awareness on environment, but would also compel people to recognize the particular company as green. Over the last few years, the concept has gained tremendous popularity, which is majorly attributable to French botanist Patrick Blanc. Second, the limited land and its high prices join in to make it popular beyond a measure.

Environmental Benefits:

There are numerous benefits associated to a green wall. We have listed some of them:

• Provides sound insulation.
• Filters air particulates to improve air quality.
• Reduces the Heat Island Effect.
• Moderates a building’s internal temperature via external shading.
• Creates a microclimate, which will help to alter the climate of a city as a whole.
• Helps a building retain heat otherwise lost to convection.
• Provides storm water management, absorbing 45-75% of rainfall.
• Serves as a natural water filter and water temperature moderator.
• Provides biodiversity and a natural animal habitat.

In Photos – Gorgeously green living walls:

Here is a pictorial-presentation of some of the most beautiful living walls in the world.

• Ann Demeulemeester Shop: