Built environments in urban settings have very little space for gardening and landscaping. The resulting dry and barren look is not only aesthetically unappealing but also environmentally unfriendly, given the urban heat island effect. Greenwalls offer a solution in urban centres where the increasing number of tall buildings has resulted in a higher wall surface area to roof area ratio.
Green walls offer an ideal greening solution for a broad range of residential and commercial buildings, shopping malls, industrial buildings and transportation structures. Working in combination with lush green trees and planted rooftop gardens, greenwalls reduce the heat island effect, provide cool ambient temperatures and protect the building against deterioration caused by UV rays. Greenwalls also provide thermal insulation, noise control and air filtration in addition to the visually relaxing green backdrop.
Landscape designers must provide the right guidance to their customers, helping them select, design and install greenwalls to suit their requirements. A complete solution comprising of the greenwall as well as various building systems such as integrated planters, drainage, water collection, greywater treatment and indoor air quality should be provided. The designer must also ensure proper maintenance for sustainable green wall systems including supply of nutrients to fertilise the plants.
Vista Concepts provides a complete range of solutions designed for large urban sites comprising of extensive and intensive green roofs as well as green walls, rooftop gardens and permeable landscapes. The company offers a patented vertical garden system where plants are actually planted, irrigated and grown in a modular system secured and integrated with a wall.
The plants selected for the greenwall are grown in a greenhouse or nursery in special pots that are then shipped to the job site and installed on the greenwall fitted to a structural wall, which is engineered to support the extra weight of the containers and wind loads. Supplemental watering is provided by a drip irrigation system connected to a potable water source, or rainwater or wastewater from air conditioners stored in a cistern or treated greywater.
Green walls and vertical gardens will improve the urban micro-climate, creating a more liveable city with cooler and quieter environments.
