|
|
| (6 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| | | #REDIRECT [[Green walls]] |
| == What are they? ==
| |
| Living Walls are defined as vegetation that grows directly onto a building's facade or vegetation that is grown on a separate structural system that can be freestanding or attached to the wall. They can also be called [[green walls]], green facades, bio walls, and vertical vegetation. Green or living walls are an emerging technology that integrate vegetation into the built environment.
| |
| | |
| | |
| == Types of Living Walls==
| |
| Living walls to choose from:
| |
| * The [[panel system]] are a pre-planted system that you can buy from a company such as from panel specialists at ELT Living Wall Systems<ref>
| |
| http://www.eltlivingwalls.com/
| |
| </ref>. Once purchased you can either install the panels yourself or have an expert install it for you onto an existing wall indoors or outdoors along with an irrigation system.
| |
| *In [[Felt Systems]] plants are fitted into felt pockets of growing medium and then attached to a waterproofed backing which is then connected to the building behind. An example of a felt system is Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Garden which is composed of a metal frame, a thin PVC sheet, and a felt polyamode layer which is attached to the PVC.
| |
| *Finally, Container/[[Trellis System]] consist of that are grown in containers which climb onto trellises. Irrigation drip lines are put in place to control the watering and feeding of the plants.
| |
| <ref>
| |
| http://www.environmentdesignguide.net.au/media/TEC26.pdf
| |
| </ref>
| |
| | |
| == Benefits ==
| |
| Benefits of Living Walls include
| |
| *Lowering energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
| |
| *Reduction of Urban Heat Island Effect (UHI)
| |
| *Increasing the thermal performance of buildings(lowering energy costs)
| |
| *Improvement of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
| |
| *Reduction of Noise Pollution
| |
| *Increasing urban biodiversity and urban food production
| |
| *Improvement of health and well-being
| |
| <ref>
| |
| http://www.environmentdesignguide.net.au/media/TEC26.pdf
| |
| </ref>
| |
| | |
| == Maintenance ==
| |
| If you consider living walls before the buildings construction occurs you can greatly reduce maintenance costs.
| |
| Once the initial panels are in place living walls require little maintenance. They are designed so that their upkeep is about the same as a landscaped garden. Most important to the upkeep of living walls are their irrigation systems. Living walls are basically hydroponic systems where water and nutrients are fed to the wall through some means of mechanical irrigation. Some living wall systems are designed to collect rain water and/or reuse gray water.
| |
| | |
| The panels sold by ELT are designed to allow the water to flow from cell to cell within the panel and from panel to panel within the wall. The water flows internally within the panels. The water flows from the top grooves in each panel, through the subsequent grooves, until it reaches to bottom of the panel where it drips out from the drainage channels and into the panel below. Irrigation systems are designed with automatic timers for ease of use.
| |
| | |
| == Concerns ==
| |
| [[Green roof]]s have the disadvantage that they require more building materials to support the weight, which works against their [[sustainability]].
| |
| | |
| What is the net impact of green walls on [[sustainability]]?{{sp}}
| |
| | |
| ==External links==
| |
| * [http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1078/ Green Roofs? How About Green Walls!] - EcoGeek, Wednesday, 17 October 2007.
| |
| * [http://www.environmentdesignguide.net.au/media/TEC26.pdf PDF from environmentdesignguide], Friday, 09 October 2009.
| |
| {{stub}}
| |
| [[Category:Alternative building]]
| |
