What is a green wall?
A green wall, also known as a living wall or green facade, is a structure where a portion or the entire surface is covered with plants. Essentially, it’s a vertical space adorned with vegetation, providing a unique beauty and a special freshness to the environment.
Sometimes, green walls occur naturally, but in some cases, factors like weather conditions and the type of plant life in the area can limit vertical growth. In such situations, artificial green walls, engineered and designed, are created to serve the same purpose. It’s worth noting that these walls offer numerous and diverse benefits. If you live in crowded and polluted cities, you can create a different atmosphere and unparalleled freshness in your living or working space by using green walls.
It’s interesting and important to know that by implementing a green wall, you not only enhance visual aesthetics but also add value to your building and play a significant role in increasing the urban green spaces. As you may know, the shortage of space and the high cost of construction have led to the development of commercial and residential buildings that lack yards and balconies. If you reside in such buildings, you can compensate for this deficiency by using natural or artificial green walls. In this way, you not only adhere to the principles of sustainable development but also help reduce indoor temperatures during hot seasons.
Types of Green Walls:
Green walls can be categorized into five main types based on their implementation method. Let’s briefly explore each of these categories:
1. Modular Green Walls: Modular green walls are one of the most practical types. They use lightweight steel galvanized brackets and can be attached to the building’s walls or used as standalone structures. One of the key features of modular green walls is the remarkable strength and durability of their panels. This allows them to serve as sturdy partitions between different parts of a building. Additionally, you can customize these panels to create a green wall that suits your preferences, providing an eye-catching aesthetic to your environment.
Cable Green Walls:
This system is often used to support and nurture climbing and trailing plants with lush foliage. It consists of a series of stainless steel cables and mesh grids that allow the plants to climb and expand. The cables pass through central holes in metal balls, which are then fixed to the wall’s surface using screws. The arrangement and spacing of these metal balls can be tailored to your chosen design, resulting in the final green wall design that matches your vision.
Mesh Green Walls:
Mesh green walls are lightweight structures that serve as steel supports for upward-growing plants. These structures are connected to the building or structure and are suitable for plants that grow slowly over time. In general, mesh green walls offer more flexibility compared to cable green walls, allowing users to select from a wider range of design options.
These are just some of the types of green walls available, each with its own advantages and suitability for different environments and plant varieties.
Polymer felt green wall
A polymer felt green wall is an interesting variation of green walls where a specific type of felt, which has drainage capabilities, is used. This felt is precisely cut and installed on a frame or structure. The result is a series of rows of pockets or compartments that are created for vertical planting.
In this system, the desired plants are placed into these compartments after the initial framework is set up. It’s important to note that this method is relatively newer compared to other green wall installation techniques. Some of the key advantages of this approach include:
- Lightweight structure
- Adequate ventilation
- Strong drainage system
- Easy replacement and change of plants
- Freedom to choose various plant species
- …
Hydroponic green walls,
on the other hand, use a water-based planting medium instead of soil. In this method, no soil is used, and a type of felt serves as the growing medium. All the necessary nutrients for plant growth are supplied through water. It’s worth noting that the irrigation system installed in hydroponic green walls intelligently delivers the required nutrients to the plants, ensuring their normal and healthy growth.
Many factors can influence the growth of plants in green walls, including environmental factors, climatic and ecological conditions, different plant species, and plant pests. Considering these factors, you can choose the most suitable type of green wall and proceed with its installation according to the existing conditions.
These innovative approaches to green walls offer unique benefits and advantages, and they can be tailored to suit various plant species and specific environments.
