Green walls provide aesthetic variations in an environment I which people carry out their daily activities. Numerous studies have linked the presence of plants to improved human health and mental well-being.

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• Create visual interests

• Hides / obscures unsightly features

• Increases property value

• Provides interesting freestanding structural elements etc.

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Elevated temperature in modern urban environments with increasing numbers of vehicles, air conditioners and industrial emissions has led to a rise in nitrogen oxides (NOx), Sulphur oxides (SOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCx), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter.

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• Capture airborne pollutants and atmospheric depositions on leave surfaces.

• Filters noxious gases and particulate matter.

The temperature increases in urban areas caused by the replacement of “natural vegetation with pavements, buildings and other structures necessary to accommodate growing populations.” This results in the conversion of sunlight to heat. Vegetation cools buildings and the surrounding area through the processes of shading, reducing reflected heat and evaporation.

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• Promotes natural cooling processes

• Reduces ambient temperature in urban areas

• Breaks vertical air flow which then cools the air as it slows down

• Shading surfaces/people

• Promotes natural cooling processes

• Reduces ambient temperature in urban areas

• Breaks vertical air flow which then cools the air as it slows down

• Shading surfaces/people

Improved thermal insulation capacity through external temperature regulation. The extent of the saving depends on various factors such as climate, distance from the sides of buildings, building envelop type and density of plant coverage. This can impact both the cooling and heating. 

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• Traps a layer of air within the plant mass

• Limits movement of heat through thick vegetation mass

• Reduced ambient temperature via shading and plant processes of evapotranspiration

• May create a buffer against the wind during the winter months

• Interior applications may reduce energy associated with heating and cooling outdoor air for indoor use.

For interior projects green walls are able to filter contaminates that are regularly flushed out of building through traditional ventilation systems. The filtration is performed by plants and in the case of bio-filtration, micro organisms.

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• Captures airborne pollutants such as dust and pollen.

• Filters noxious gases and VOC’s from carpets, furniture and other building elements.

Buildings are exposed to the weathering elements and over time some of the organic construction materials may begin to break down as a result of contraction and expansion shifts due to freeze-thaw cycles and UV exposure.

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• Protects exterior finishes from UV radiation, the elements and temperature fluctuations that wear down materials.

• May benefit the seal or air tightness of doors, windows and cladding by decreasing the effect of wind pressure.

The growing media in living wall systems will contribute to a reduction of sound levels that transmit through or reflect from the living wall system. Factors that influence noise reduction include the depth of the growing media, the materials used as structural components of the living wall system and the overall coverage.

Improved aesthetics may help to market a project and provide valuable amenity space.