Green wall
[1] Green walls include a vertically applied growth medium such as soil, substitute substrate, or hydroculture felt; as well as an integrated hydration and fertigation delivery system.
[3][4] The popularising of green walls is often credited to Patrick Blanc, a French botanist specialised in tropical forest undergrowth.
He worked with architect Adrien Fainsilber and engineer Peter Rice to implement the first successful large indoor green wall or Mur Vegetal in 1986 at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in Paris, and has since been involved with the design and implementation of a number of notable installations (e.g. Musée du quai Branly, collaborating with architect Jean Nouvel[5][6]).
An online database provided by greenroof.com for example had reported 80% of the 61 large-scale outdoor green walls listed as constructed after 2009, with 93% after 2007.
Media-free green walls are those that do not require soil substrates, fertilizers, or reticulated watering systems, and which utilize a method of selecting plant species which are best suited to the local climate.
As long as suitable species are matched to the climate of the green wall's location, then potential plant losses across any three-to-five-year period is minor.
[10] Freestanding media are portable living walls that are flexible for interior landscaping and are considered to have many biophilic design benefits.
Zauben living walls are designed with hydroponic technology that conserves 75% more water than plants grown in soil, self-irrigates, and includes moisture sensors.
Most importantly, because these systems can easily have their medium blown away by wind-driven rain or heavy winds, these should not be used in applications over 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) high.
Semi-open cell polyurethane sheet media utilising an egg crate pattern has successfully been used in recent years for both outdoor roof gardens and vertical walls.
A flaked or chopped noodle version of the same polyurethane material can also be added to existing structural media mixes to boost water retention.
A study is underway at the Bertschi School in Seattle, Washington, using a GSky Pro Wall system, however, no publicly available data on this is available at this time.
This can reduce energy demands and cleanse the air from VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) released by paints, furniture, and adhesives.
[17] However, to have the optimal effect on the indoor climate it is important that the plants in the green wall have the best conditions for growth, both when talking about watering, fertilizing and the right amount of light.
To have the best result on all of the aforementioned, some green wall systems has special and patented technologies that is developed to the benefit of the plants.
[18] Thomas Pugh, a biogeochemist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, created a computer model of a green wall with a broad selection of vegetation.
[19] Biodiversity at indoor applications in contrast is likely to be significantly limited owing to the restricted ecosystems created, with introductions most likely at planting or replanting stages.
