Green walls
[edit] Introduction
The government’s 25 Year Environment Plan drives forward the agenda of a ‘cleaner and greener’ Britain. The plan lays out the government’s intention to enforce mandatory requirements on developers to integrate green infrastructure in the built environment. It seeks to integrate more stringent green considerations into building planning, and successfully captures the shift in sustainability goals by embedding an ‘environmental net gain’ principle.
The challenge faced in increasingly dense cities such as London however, is the scarcity of open areas for the development of green space. The solution is to be innovative with the space we do have. Integrating green infrastructure in dense, inner-city space is possible by seeking opportunities on buildings’ facades, transforming the dull, urban grey into green walls.
|
[edit] Green walls
More than just attractive architectural statements of environmental consciousness, green walls have a role to play in improving our cities as the rate and intensity of urbanisation accelerates.
Green walls provide large surface areas for pollutant deposition and can result in local reduction in concentrations of particulate matter between 10-20%. Within street canyons, this can increase to a reduction of particulate matter by 60% and nitrogen dioxide by 40%.
In addition to air quality, green walls are a key component of a city’s functional network of green spaces. Not only do they provide new habitats, but they also facilitate movement between habitats by contributing to networks of green corridors across vast urban space.
The benefits of green walls are not limited to the environmental but also span across the social reaches of sustainability. Green walls present an opportunity to use limited space to improve the quality of life for people in urban areas. The positive links made between the natural environment and an individual’s sense of wellbeing, stress reduction and mental regeneration are amongst the well-established restorative benefits of contact with nature. Studies also show that green facades can absorb sound energy that would normally be reflected by concrete, glass and steel and can reduce sound levels from traffic by 15dB. This minimises the excessive noise that threatens the wellbeing of urban residents.
Green walls provide a healthy and functional way for cities to become more attractive, resilient and increase the quality of living for residents, whilst competing with issues of diminishing space in inner-urban environments.
At the East Wick and Sweetwater project, the project team sought to improve residents’ quality of life and the local environmental conditions within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park by designing in green walls on the facades of the new developments.
The green roofs on the St James’ Market project form part of The Crown Estates “Wild West End” strategy to connect St James’s Park in the south to Regents Park in the north via a building-integrated green corridor.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Soil moisture content, construction and landscaping
The effects, of low and high rainfall on soil and buidlings.
Sustainability or sentimentality in the refurbishment sector.
Has the pendulum now swung too far ?
Negative impacts of political instability on projects
Expected by 64% of the respondents in nationwide survey.
BSRIA Market Intelligence Reports
World Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) 2022
Statement of health and early intervention.
The importance of regular check-ups
And related links on DB.
Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS
Rooflights, skylights, roof windows and Part L
Shedding some light on the new Building Regulations.
Interview with historic built environment surveyor.
Upgraded membership category now requires assessment.
The average kinetic energy of molecules
Temperature in buildings, explained on DB
Women and unequal pay in project management
Main barrier to entering the profession, new study reveals.
IHBC’s response to Parliamentary Committee
On Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill.
Finalists for 2022 CIOB Awards revealed
Over 70 managers and organisations shortlisted for the 14 awards.
Types of building sensors on BD
From biometric to electrical current, chemical and more.
Government mandates detectors in rented homes
Changes are due to come into force on 1st October 2022.
80% of major government projects are rated red or amber
Heed advice and insight of this report IPA tells the government.
The end of the games but continued calls for action
From the Commonwealth Association of Architects.
Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS