Green roofs and living walls add beauty, function and nature-inspired beauty to urban buildings. They filter pollutants, reduce energy usage, provide extra insulation and absorb rainwater for flood mitigation purposes.
Work with experts to select plants and irrigation systems that reduce water usage in drought conditions, especially by using captured rainwater or greywater for irrigation purposes. Doing this will further cut costs while increasing sustainability.
Aesthetics
Green roofs and walls add natural beauty and visual charm to urban environments, providing scenic landscapes and natural aesthetics. Furthermore, green roofs and walls can improve air quality, reduce energy consumption, absorb rainfall runoff and act as habitats for wildlife – creating new environments in which plants and animals thrive.
However, green roofs and walls are still relatively new technology and require ongoing care from experienced professionals in order to be sustainable over the long-term. Maintenance may involve watering, fertilizing and debris removal – depending on their design type. It is therefore vital that experienced professionals are used when developing such projects to ensure long-term success of any undertakings.
Governments play an invaluable role in supporting sustainable design through incentives and regulations. Furthermore, governments can promote public awareness about green roofs and living walls by raising public awareness through incentives or regulations, encouraging their adoption or simply making people aware that such innovative solutions exist – increasing support from citizens for these innovative designs.
Biodiversity
Green roofs and walls can add biodiversity to urban environments by providing new habitats for plants and wildlife, filtering pollutants out of the air, reducing energy consumption through increased insulation, and absorbing rainfall thereby decreasing flooding risks in urban areas.
As such, they help developers meet the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirement necessary for large developments (10 or more dwellings).
Intensive green roofs that contain a diversity of plant species in a deeper substrate are more beneficial for biodiversity than extensive sedum solutions [p&p note:].
Energy Efficiency
Green roofs (GR) and living walls (LW) are eco-friendly design solutions with numerous environmental, economic, social and aesthetic advantages. In particular, they can reduce building energy consumption as well as provide space for growing food or recreation activities.
Green roof systems may either be extensive or semi-intensive depending on the amount of soil used and plant species chosen, with extensive green roof systems featuring shallow profiles due to less substrate volume for water storage and slowing stormwater runoff, thus restricting their selection to drought- and wind-tolerant species.
Indoor and outdoor green roofs/walls help reduce humidity, oxygenate the air and enhance indoor comfort, filter dust particles out of the air and reduce electromagnetic radiation (EMR). Installing green roofs and walls into buildings may help increase market value.
Stormwater Management
Green roofs and living walls can help manage stormwater runoff by capturing raindrops more efficiently, relieving urban sewer systems of unnecessary load, while simultaneously helping reduce air pollution by absorbing pollution through photosynthesis and producing oxygen in return.
Green roofs and living walls provide habitats for wildlife in urban environments, increasing biodiversity while improving landscapes and increasing property values. Furthermore, they can be used to grow crops – providing fresh food to residents while simultaneously engaging the community through community involvement activities. Furthermore, government policies, incentives, and public awareness all help support sustainable green infrastructure initiatives.
Noise Absorption
Green roofs and walls can help reduce noise levels caused by heavy traffic, while also serving as an acoustic barrier against planes and trains.
Green rooftops and walls can also be used to grow vegetables and herbs, contributing to local food production while decreasing environmental impacts associated with long-distance food transport. Green spaces also act as air conditioners by absorbing solar heat before dissipating it through vegetation.
Although investing in a green roof or living wall requires an upfront investment, the payoff can be considerable. Work with experienced professionals for proper installation and ongoing maintenance (this could include regular inspections, watering and fertilization). By adding eco-friendly features like these to structures and urban landscapes, these sustainable features can add significant value and contribute to greater sustainability overall.
