| Topic: | Green Walls | |
| Posted by: | Chantal Blake-Milton | |
| Date/Time: | 08/08/18 14:59:00 |
| The more green walls proliferate around the World, the more research can be done, and the conclusion is that the risks of pollution will only increase, so vertical vegetation should be considered as an opportunity to achieve environmental sustainability, within the city envelope, especially in dense areas. These structures are increasingly proven to mitigate many environmental conflicts as well as offering hygrothermal insulation, where leaves photosynthesise direct sunlight reducing energy costs for air-conditioning and preventing heat escape in winter months. Many universities and schools now have them, so the good news is that young people are growing up with these structures as part of their environment, both indoors and out, whilst the older and less informed may remain cynical. English ivy has been proven to trap twice as many particles on the upper side than the underside, and many mosses are useful as they convert pollution into their own biomass. In Glasgow, "City Trees" measuring 4m x 3m have proven environmental benefits equivalent to 275 normal trees, removing 12.2kg of dust, and 240 metric tonnes of CO2 annually, and well as significant amounts of NO2. They currently cost £20,000 each. Original figures have had to be revised, and now show that large living walls can absorb even larger percentages of pollutants than before, often between 30% and 60%. It is unrealistic to expect everyone to leap on bikes, or car manufacturers to change vehicle emissions quickly. We need a much faster solution to a fast growing problem, and as more people research the real benefits, green walls are now growing in popularity, not only because their beauty has a calming effect on those around them, but because their increase in numbers, has generated further studies showing the increased benefits of having these structures in urban "canyons" Sutton High Street has one, so does Edgeware Road and Walthamstow. Just imagine if the Odeon Wall triggered a green canyon in our High Street. Many ideas on this thread are merely a long-term pipe-dream, but living walls are a real and immediate possibility. |