Green walls are vertical structures covered in plants. The idea of plants hanging on the wall is not really new. We can see these structures everywhere. In fact, we can see these inside places. Inside our homes, we see those painted walls(not to mention clutters everywhere). But, there is a way to invite nature into our homes, “outside-in” if you must prefer to call it. Indoor green walls, not new, but perhaps we can have these as everyday items inside our homes.
We would want to adopt to have these structures in our homes. With lacking available places for gardening, indoor green walls is definitely a solution. Just think about this, we are slowly getting out of touch with natural vegetation, and this makes us sick.
Sure, there are indoor potted plants that we can place inside our homes. But, those potted plants use surfaces that basically can be used for other essential things. The idea of indoor green walls is to use spaces that we don’t use to its maximum capacity – the walls.
The concept of green walls, sometimes called living walls, started from utilizing more vegetation spaces to grow. This green wall is, in fact, the invention of Stanley Hart White, a professor of Landscape architecture at the University of Illinois. Sadly, his design did not progress at that time.
It was not until Patrick Blanc, a French botanist, presented a green wall’s modern innovation. He is responsible for popularizing the contemporary version of the green wall.
Benefits of Having Indoor Green Walls
Green walls are beautiful addition inside your home. Bringing fresh, green(and live) vegetation is truly creates a relaxing environment, another way to get rid of stress. Another benefit of having green walls inside your house is food. Just imagine, you can simply pick some fresh herbs just right from your wall!
But perhaps one great benefit of green walls is the ability to improve indoor air quality. These benefits are:
- Gas exchange – plants take carbon dioxide then release oxygen
- Removes VOCs – Volatile organic compounds can cause real harm to our bodies. These compounds are released from paints, adhesives, and other household items. Who says the inside of your home is a healthy place?
One health concern that affects inhabitants of a building si Sick Building Syndrome. Here, people inside a building experience unpleasant things, such as headaches, skin dryness, or throat irritations. The cause of this syndrome is chemicals that are normally present inside a building, such as, VOCs.
Components of a Green Wall
There are a variety of designs. From the most sophisticated are those installed with “smart” controls, such as automatic watering mechanisms and moisture monitoring components. But basically, green walls mainly have these three components:
- Support structures to maintain its attachment to the wall.
- Growth media to support the plants’ nourishment.
- Sheets to protect the wall from moisture.
In designing our place, we make a plan for everything. The materials, the design, and the money, all in that plan. But, we must not forget to include nature in our designs. I might give an extra effort, but for sure, you’ll reap the benefits.
I found a really helpful site about green walls. You can check this out.
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