LIVING WALL SYSTEMS ALONG WITH ITS RANGE OF GREEN ROOF SYSTEMS, WALLBARN OFFERS A DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALL SERVICE FOR LIVING WALLS. Living walls are an extension to the concept of green roofs. Buildings can not just be covered on their tops by vegetation, but can have a huge variety of attractive, long-lasting, vegetation covering their walls, offering much more scope to green up the fabric of the building and the urban landscape. They offer all the advantages of green roofs in terms of added value, water attenuation and insulation. However, since there is far more area on the sides of the building than on the rooftop, living walls can offer a far more obvious, relevant and luxurious experience to users on the ground. By surrounding groundlevel walkways with fresh, natural plants, a real sense of nature can be brought to even the most restricted areas. They are extremely attractive, highly visible and completely versatile. By covering dull grey with vibrant green, they utilise densely constructed areas to the maximum.
BENEFITS OF LIVING WALLS ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THE MODULAR SYSTEM Attenuation of rainwater run off Reduction of the Urban Heat Island Effect Thermal insulation Provides wildlife habitats Absorb air pollutants and dust Act as noise barrier Beautifies otherwise barren cityscape Protects buildings from UV radiation Provides unique opportunities for design and creativity Movement, colour, sound and texture of plants add value to the area LIVING WALLS & THE WATERCYCLE The drainage characteristics of living walls vary considerably according to the depth and type of substrate and recent weather, with deeper and drier substrates retaining most water. Re-watering of plants assists with reducing global warming, through an increase in evaporation levels and a higher transfer of solar energy. Soils and plants have absorption properties that traditional building materials do not. THERMAL STABILITY AND ENERGY CONSERVATION Living Walls can improve the thermal insulation of a building, helping to keep heat out in warm weather and thereby reducing the demand for air-conditioning. In winter the extra insulation that a living wall provides helps to keep warmth in, thereby reducing heating demands.
AIR QUALITY Vegetation has been shown to reduce atmospheric pollution by filtering particulates and absorbing gaseous pollutants. Vegetation provides a large surface area for filtering particulates (dust and soot), which can also include heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper, lead and zinc. SOUND INSULATION Green Walls have the capacity to provide sound insulation for buildings, and absorb surrounding noise. The soil or substrate of living walls is an effective barrier to noise. The deeper the substrate, the better the wall at deadening noise. COMPONENTS OF LIVING WALLS Green walls are essentially a framework of vertical trays holding individual cells which are planted up with soil and plants. This frame is then fixed to a straight, load-bearing wall. Wallbarn Living Walls are comprised of individual modules. The standard module is 500mm high x 250mm wide and 100mm deep (although different sized modules are also available). Each module has a network of planting cells, and its own water retention system, into which the growing media and the planting selection are installed and established. These modules are then fixed to the wall. A series of horizontal fixing bars are secured to the weight-bearing wall or frame, and the modules are hooked onto place. An automatic irrigation system, borders and guttering (with water recycling pumps) are then fitted. A major advantage of this system is that a single module can be removed from the frame at any time and replaced (if the plants are suffering, for example) without major disruption to the rest of the area. Indeed our nursery partners can hold stocks of replacement panels for immediate switch over if required.
MODULE DESIGN The unique feature of the design is that each cell is set on a 30 angle and as a result a media depth of 150mm can be achieved. It ensures that the water travels to the back and bottom of the trays, encouraging the roots (and the weight) to the back of the system towards the retaining wall. Living Wall Components Module: Made from re-cycled HDPE plastic, and is divided into planting cells, which slope towards the back of the module. In the back of the module is a mat made from re-cycled polyester and renewable hemp fibres. This helps even distribution of water and acts as an anchor for the plants roots. Growing Media: The growing media that is used in the living wall module is a balanced mix of a number of ingredients, such as coir, wood fibre, perlite, peat. It also includes a slow release plant feed to help with quick establishment. The exact make-up of the growing media depends on what plants will be installed and the surrounding environmental conditions. Vegetation: The vegetation for each individual living wall is bespoke. It needs to be carefully chosen for particular merits, such as environmental constraints (such as prevailing winds, heat etc), compactness, access and maintenance constraints, evergreen requirements and any environmental benefits desired. PLANTING Living Wall Build up The vegetation is established in the modules before the living wall is constructed. We grow these modules for typically 6 months before installation on site. They are planted on a horizontal surface initially. The horticulturalists work according to a planting design, and planting list, in a grid format. Once the planting is completed, the modules stay sheltered in poly-tunnels to ensure they are fully protected. As the plants become more mature, the trays are gradually tilted up onto frames to help them become used to growing vertically. This is a very delicate process.
SELF ASSEMBLY OPTIONS Some contractors wish to design and install their own schemes. Wallbarn can supply fully grown living wall modules direct from our nurseries, along with irrigation and fixing equipment and step-by-step installation instructions. FULL DESIGN AND INSTALLATION PACKAGE This requires six main elements: Initial development Office based work to fully understand what the client wishes the living wall to look like, and how it will perform. This assessment and pre-site development gives an outline of how the living wall will be constructed. Site visit Usually a one-day visit to consider load bearing structures, sun / wind direction, issues over shading and access to water, any plant selections which are recommended or cannot be considered at this early stage. Detailed design Office based work to draft detailed drawings and documentation, outlining design of load bearing frames, final selection of modules, detailed plant selection, specification of irrigation system, irrigation level calculation and comprehensive schedule of works. Planting of modules Vegetation is planted into modules according to the agreed planting scheme at a rate of around 100 individual plants per m2. We like to be able to have the modules grown and established for six months before installation where possible. Living walls can never be grown and installed immediately as the plants need to be introduced to vertical plane gradually. Installation All construction and maintenance is carried out under strict Health & Safety and COSHH regulations. A structurally sound, fully waterproofed vertical surface must be provided. The load bearing frames need to be constructed and the cross beams fixed. Only then can the modules be installed and the irrigation systems fitted. Once the structural work is carried out the actual installation of the modules and plants is a fairly quick (if delicate) process. The automatic irrigation systems will be fully tested and the living wall checked every day for one week after installation to be sure everything is correct. At least one full day s pre-installation work will normally be carried out by the installers to ensure everything is in place and ready for when the modules are delivered to site.
Maintenance It is essential that a full post-installation maintenance programme is negotiated with the sale of living wall systems. Warranties will not be valid without such maintenance packages. Contractors will oversee and monitor the living wall during the critical period after installation. During these checks the following tasks will be carried out:- Irrigation system will be fully checked to ensure it is not clogged at any point All plants will be checked to ensure they have access to water Irrigation levels will be reviewed Dying plants will be removed, dead leaves will be cut back Plants will be pruned where necessary Soil tests will be carried out Liquid plant feed will be applied as required Insecticide and fungicide will be applied as required This will mean weekly inspections for the first month, regular checks during the first three months, then periodic (usually monthly) inspections up to at least 18 months after installation. The exact number of inspections and number of people handling the maintenance will depend on factors such as: size of the living wall, height and complexity of living wall, climatic conditions, and type of vegetation used. Irrigation Irrigation forms a central part of the living wall design. A 6mm irrigation pipe is installed into the top of each module, and the water and feed will drip through the substrate to sustain the plants. Each module is designed to have water flow through to a water retention fleece at the back of the cell, without displacing the growing
media. This is achieved through the use of a series of outlets that channel the water, ensuring complete saturation with a minimum amount of effort and water. Each cell is drip fed with water from the collection panel at the top of the panel. There is a reservoir and drainage holes as part of the irrigation system A horizontal gutter is secured at the bottom of the living wall to catch excess water. This is then fed back up into the irrigation pipes to be recycled. Plants The horticultural options are vast. Sedum, exotic grasses, ferns, ivy and herbs are the most common plants used. We aim to get a fair mixture of vegetation to ensure a diverse mix of textures, colours and flowers across the year. We design the planting so that shade loving plants are respected, nothing gets overrun by aggressive species, those requiring higher or lower amounts of water and additional feed are planted in the correct place, and an overall pattern is attractive both close up and from a wider viewpoint. We have knowledge of, and have used, many different species of plants in these modules, including edible plants such as strawberry and fig, specific exotic plants (such as cactus), and many others. The living wall can be designed and planted up to suit the client s wishes, subject to micro climatic conditions and maintenance programmes.
INTERNAL LIVING WALLS Wallbarn can also supply living walls for internal spaces. So long as there is ready access to natural light, the construction is almost identical to exterior living walls. In fact, a greater range of planting can be achieved as plants which may struggle in the local climate can be protected by being indoors. The appearance of entrance halls and atriums in office blocks can greatly enhanced by fitting living walls. They help to bring a sense of outdoors to interior spaces, offering contemporary design, softening harsh surfaces and providing sound insulation. They are proving very popular in the corporate sector. LIVING WALLS ARE A BEAUTIFUL AND NATURAL ADDITION TO BOTH THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF ANY BUILDING. CLIENTS MUST BE AWARE THAT CONSIDERABLE LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE AND CARE ARE ESSENTIAL IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE PLANTS REMAIN IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WALLBARN GREEN ROOFS, LIVING WALLS AND SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES. WE OFFER ALL THE OPTIONS FOR TODAY S MODERN BUILDINGS. For more information please contact: Wallbarn Ltd Tandridge Priory Barrow Green Road Oxted Surrey RH8 9NE UK tel: +44(0)1883 715983 fax: +44(0)1883 723670 email: sales@wallbarn.com www.wallbarn.com