Green wall

A green wall is a wall partially or completely covered with greenery that includes a growing medium, such as soil. Most green walls also feature an integrated water delivery system. Green walls are also known as living walls or vertical gardens.

1. GREEN WALL An Overview

2. Contents Introduction History of Green Walls Types of Green Walls Benefits of Green Walls Main Factors Special Cases Challenges Conclusion

3. Introduction Increased environmental consciousness Sustainable development Greening of buildings Green walls

4. History of Green Walls The hanging gardens of Babylon

5. Some important developments 1920s: The British and North American garden city movement promote the integration of house and garden through features such as self-clinging climbing plants. 1988: Introduction of a stainless steel cable system for green facades. 1990s:Introduction of Cable and wire-rope net systems 1993: First major application of a trellis panel system in California 1994: Indoor living wall with bio-filtration system installed in Canada 2002: The MFO Park opened in Switzerland. The project featured over 1,300 high par climbing plants. 2005: The Japanese government sponsored a massive green wall in Expo 2005, comprised of 30 different modular green wall systems available in Japan. 2007: Seattle implements the Green Factor, which includes green walls.

6. Different Types

7. Green Facades Climbing plants or cascading groundcovers to cover specially designed supporting structures Rooted at the base of these structures, in the ground, in intermediate planters or on rooftops Self-clinging plants such as English ivy Their sucker root attach directly to a wall, covering entire surfaces These can damage unsuitable walls and/or cause difficulties when the time comes for maintenance.

8. Green Facades

9. Cable and Wire-Rope Net Systems Cables are employed to support faster growing climbing plants with denser foliage Wire-nets are used to support slower growing plants that need supports at closer intervals

10. Modular Trellis Panel System light weight, three-dimensional panel made from a galvanized and welded steel wire Because of the panels are rigid, they can span between structures and can also be used for freestanding green walls.

11. Living Walls Pre-vegetated panels, vertical modules or planted blankets, fixed vertically to a structural wall or frame Panels made of plastic, expanded polystyrene, synthetic fabric, clay, metal, and concrete Support a great diversity and density of plant species There are various forms, with the main differences between interior and exterior designs.

12. Living Walls

13. Modular Living Wall Emerged from the use of modules for green roof applications, with a number of technological innovations Often pre-grown, providing an 'instant' green effect upon completion of the installation

14. Vegetated Mat Wall Composed of two layers of synthetic fabric with pockets that physically support plants and growing media Nutrients distributed through an irrigation system that cycles water from the top to down

15. BENEFITS OF GREEN FACADES AND LIVING WALLS

16. PUBLIC/PRIVATE BENEFITS Area of impact Description Benefits Reduce urban heat island effect Temperature rise in urban areas caused by the replacement of natural vegetation by other structures Promotes natural cooling and reduces temperature. Improved exterior air quality Modern urban environments are having high concentration of air pollutants Captures airborne pollutants and filters particulate matter Aesthetic improvement studies have linked the presence of plants to improved human health and mental well being Creates visual interest Increases property values Hides unsightly features Building structure protection Buildings are exposed to the weathering and cause deterioration Protects exterior from UV radiation and temperature fluctuations Improved energy efficiency Improves thermal insulation capacity through external temperature regulation Reduces ambient Temperature Improved indoor air quality Filter contaminates that are flushed out of buildings through traditional ventilation systems Captures airborne pollutants such as dust and pollen

17. Environmental Benefits Offer cooling in the city through direct shading and evaporate transpiration Filters gaseous and particulate pollutants from the atmosphere in the urban environment Economical Benefits Reduce climatic stress on building and increase the service and practical life of buildings and reduce cost on the painting materials Reduce energy used for cooling vastly

18. Aesthetics Well designed green walls provide good aesthetic look Other benefits Increased biodiversity Urban agriculture

19. MAIN FACTORS Plant selection Irrigation 1. Elements of a Living Wall

20. 2. Factors for Successful Green Facades Attachment to building envelope Calculation of structural loads Plant selection Plant maintenance Registered manufactures and trained installers

21. 3.Factors Affecting Living Walls Irrigation Use correctly specified plants Consideration of the microclimates Growing medium

22. 4 . Cost Project size. Design team costs. System type. Support structure requirements. Building location. Complexity of design. Use of standard or custom components.

23. 5. Maintenance Different plants will have different irrigation and nutrient requirements Cable and wire-rope system require periodic checking to ensure that the elements are properly in place as the plants mature Living walls require regular irrigation and degree of maintenance required will depend on the type of living wall system and the vegetation used. Aesthetic qualities expected by client

24. SPECIAL CASES Loose Medium Wall Mat Medium Wall Structural Media Wall Pro Wall Versa Wall Systems

25. CHALANGES Expense Heavy Load Maintenance

26. CONCLUSIONS Green walls provide an efficient tool in energy saving, bio diversity and temperature-air control Offer a new emerging way to a green built environment Still under research, not commonly practiced in India, but in foreign countries like USA, Japan & France To be hoped that the development of experience & knowledge of benefits will encourage people to switch to green built construction.