AN INTRODUCTION TO GREEN WALLS:

GREEN FACADES

Mehdi Rakhshandehroo

Faculty of design and architecture, unversiti Putra Malaysia, 43300 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Post graduate Club Seminar, UPM

Abstract

Although green wall is not a new concept and date back to hanging gardens of

Babylonia in 600 BC, but flourished in current decades. In the age of

sustainable development planners and architects look for solutions to green the

buildings envelops and restore environmental conditions. A variety of different

terminology in this area indicates the importance of issue: Hanging or vertical

gardens, balcony gardens, vertical farms, containers or planter boxes greening,

green roofs or rooftop gardens, green or eco buildings, green walls, wall

planters, green envelops and green facades. They can be applied to increase

bio diversity and ecological value, out door and indoor value, air quality and

finally enhance social and physical well being of city dwellers. This presentation

discusses the green facades as one of the vertical greening systems.

Introduction

• In urban area

• Where space on the ground is limited

• But vertical spaces are abundant

• Vertical greening is a fruitful merge of nature and structure

• A variety of climber plant species can rise on a small quantity of growing medium to bring natural beauty to the cities

• According to the systems and growing methods, vertical greening (green wall) is divided to “living wall” and “green facade”. This presentation discusses different aspects of green façade.

Source: http://inhabitat.com/tag/green-facade

• green walls (vertical greening)

can be categorized According to their

systems and growing methods:

1.green façades (direct and indirect

system)

2. living walls (passive, active, Mur-Vegetal

and landscape wall)

This presentation will discuss

different issues of green facades.

Source: http://www.archdaily.com

Green facade

• Plant climbers attached to the building elevation

o Deciduous or evergreen

o Directly in traditional architecture

o Indirectly by mesh, steel cable or trellis

• Climbers can be plated:

o In the ground

o In the planter boxes at

different levels

o On the roof-tops

A- Direct system, B- Indirect system, C-Indirect system with planter boxes

Green façade (Direct system)

• Self climbers planted at the

base of the building to directly

attach the walls and cover the

elevations.

• Used in traditional

architecture

• May decay inappropriate

walls

Direct green façade (Source: http://www.greenovergrey.com/)

Green façade (Indirect system)

• Climber plants are kept away of the walls by supporters (cable or mesh)

o Supporters can be made from:

o Steel, Aluminum, Wood or Plastic

1. Modular Trellis Panel Systems

o These panels are: Three dimensional, lightweight and rigid usually from steel

(coated, galvanized and welded)

Modular Trellis Panel System (source: http://www.intechopen.com)

2. Cable or wire-Rope Net Systems

• It applies high tensile cables to accommodate numerous patterns and sizes

o Wire-Rope system is for: Slower growing plants and provides a greater

degree of design utilization

o Cable system is for: faster growing plants with denser foliage

Cable and wire-Rope Net System, (source: http://www.intechopen.com) Stainless Steel Wire (Source: http://www.s3i.co.uk)

3. Indirect greening systems combined with planter boxes

• Planter boxes are combined with indirect systems at different levels to cover

a vast area of building.

• The system may need nutrient and irrigation equipment look like living walls.

Indirect greening system combined

with planter boxes, 1- Containers 2-

Insulated container 3- Maintenance

remote monitored irrigation /

fertilization system 4- Wall mounting

system, (source: http:gsky.com)

Green walls (vertical greening)

• Should be chosen according: o Climate, budge and architectural design

• Need regular maintenance for: o watering, nutrient substance and pruning

• Are beneficial because of: o sound reduction, aesthetic enhancement, external

insulation and energy efficiency

• Plant species should be chosen according:

o Environment and natural supporting systems

Source: http://www.omni-ecosystems.com

Thank You

References:

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