5 benefits of a living wall

May 27, 2022    |    Foliage , Green Walls , Rigging

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One of the more recent architectural trends is the advent of the Living Wall, also known as the vertical garden and green wall. Examples of this you’ll now see regularly on buildings and homes throughout the country.

Living walls bring a number of benefits and this is why they are becoming so popular, both on residential and commercial properties throughout New Zealand. Here at SRS Group, we are New Zealand’s only end-to-end supplier of green wall solutions – from design to manufacturing all the components, to planting, installation, and maintenance. Dealing with one single supplier makes any green wall project much easier to manage. We work with strategic partners to deliver every aspect of a living wall installation and our expertise in rigging and fabrication makes us the ideal supplier here in New Zealand.

Living walls bring with them a number of benefits, both to the environment but also to the physical space in which they are installed. We have a number of green wall solutions here in New Zealand, however, when we talk about living walls or vertical gardens, we are typically referring to external installations. We do have other indoor solutions such as arbours and green columns, and indoor screens, however, below, we have outlined the key benefits of an exterior living wall.

5 key Benefits of Living Walls

1. Improve Air Quality

One of the most obvious benefits that people are aware of with regards to living walls is the improvement in air quality for those in and around them. As we all know, living plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen which in essence purifies the air around you. This is an increasingly important fact as issues around air pollution are becoming a growing concern, especially in the bigger cities in which we live. This reason alone justifies investing in one which is why many have done so all around the world.

2. Natural Sound Proofing

Not only do living walls have a positive effect on air pollution but they also have a great impact on noise pollution. The natural living wall acts as a sound barrier that reflects incoming sounds in different directions nullifying its effect. This is not only effectively used on exterior walls of buildings (near motorways and busy city streets) but on wall mounted interior green walls too for fast-paced offices. Many people find it out as an unexpected bonus after installation but now you know beforehand!

3. Improve Wellbeing and Productivity

An additional benefit that partly comes from decreasing air pollution and noise pollution within any environment is the improvement in wellbeing and productivity. There are endless studies that have shown this but it almost doesn’t need proof as a fact of general knowledge. A healthy environment (or work environment more specifically) is conducive to healthier and happier staff that have more energy and are more productive.

4. Protects Buildings

Humans aren’t the only ones who can benefit from a living wall. Buildings that have urban gardens on their exterior walls are also protected from the natural elements of wind, rain and sunlight to name a few. Any business owner will know that the cost of building maintenance and repair from the day-to-day extremities of weather can quickly add up and be a burden over time. A living wall helps mitigate and slow down the ageing process of your building and also makes it look better too!

5. Encourages Biodiversity

Living walls don’t get their names by accident. They are called what they are because they are natural mini-ecosystems. One of the principal reasons for their creation and invention in the first place was to encourage biodiversity. This is especially important in environments, like big cities, where natural biodiversity struggles. One of the most notable recent examples is the recently completed Supertrees in Singapore in a space that covers 250 acres. The movement has also taken hold in major cities in Europe too like London, Paris and Milan with returning insects and birdlife the result.

Living walls improve the space around you

As you can see, there are some great benefits to living walls which can be clearly seen as the way to a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future. As green space, especially in urban areas, continues to get squeezed by new residential and commercial developments, a living wall is a great way to bring green space back. Whilst these green spaces may not look the way we traditionally think about green spaces – open parks, sports fields etc – they are helping to improve the overall quality of congested urban areas, adding to the biodiversity and helping to soften the harsh landscape created by property developments.

Here at SRS, we are one of the only companies here in New Zealand to offer a full turnkey service when it comes to green walls. From designing and manufacturing all components right through to planting, irrigation, installation and maintaining, we’ve got a green wall solution to meet your needs. Talk to the team today.