1.
AN INTRODUCTION TO GREEN WALLS:
GREEN FACADES
Mehdi Rakhshandehroo
Faculty of design and architecture, unversiti Putra Malaysia, 43300 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Post graduate Club Seminar, UPM

2.
Abstract
Although green wall is not a new concept and date back to hanging gardens of
Babylonia in 600 BC, but flourished in current decades. In the age of
sustainable development planners and architects look for solutions to green the
buildings envelops and restore environmental conditions. A variety of different
terminology in this area indicates the importance of issue: Hanging or vertical
gardens, balcony gardens, vertical farms, containers or planter boxes greening,
green roofs or rooftop gardens, green or eco buildings, green walls, wall
planters, green envelops and green facades. They can be applied to increase
bio diversity and ecological value, out door and indoor value, air quality and
finally enhance social and physical well being of city dwellers. This presentation
discusses the green facades as one of the vertical greening systems.

3.
Introduction
• In urban area
• Where space on the ground is limited
• But vertical spaces are abundant
• Vertical greening is a fruitful merge of
nature and structure
• A variety of climber plant species can
rise on a small quantity of growing
medium to bring natural beauty to the
cities
• According to the systems and growing
methods, vertical greening (green wall)
is divided to “living wall” and “green
facade”. This presentation discusses
different aspects of green façade.
Source: http://inhabitat.com/tag/green-facade

4.
• green walls (vertical greening)
can be categorized According to their
systems and growing methods:
1.green façades (direct and indirect
system)
2. living walls (passive, active, Mur-Vegetal
and landscape wall)
This presentation will discuss
different issues of green facades.
Source: http://www.archdaily.com

5.
Green facade
• Plant climbers attached to the building elevation
o Deciduous or evergreen
o Directly in traditional architecture
o Indirectly by mesh, steel cable or trellis
• Climbers can be plated:
o In the ground
o In the planter boxes at
different levels
o On the roof-tops
A- Direct system, B- Indirect system, C-Indirect system with planter boxes

6.
Green façade (Direct system)
• Self climbers planted at the
base of the building to directly
attach the walls and cover the
elevations.
• Used in traditional
architecture
• May decay inappropriate
walls
Direct green façade (Source: http://www.greenovergrey.com/)

7.
Green façade (Indirect system)
• Climber plants are kept away of the walls by supporters (cable or mesh)
o Supporters can be made from:
o Steel, Aluminum, Wood or Plastic
1. Modular Trellis Panel Systems
o These panels are: Three dimensional, lightweight and rigid usually from steel
(coated, galvanized and welded)
Modular Trellis Panel System (source: http://www.intechopen.com)

8.
2. Cable or wire-Rope Net Systems
• It applies high tensile cables to accommodate numerous patterns and sizes
o Wire-Rope system is for: Slower growing plants and provides a greater
degree of design utilization
o Cable system is for: faster growing plants with denser foliage
Cable and wire-Rope Net System, (source: http://www.intechopen.com)Stainless Steel Wire (Source: http://www.s3i.co.uk)

9.
3. Indirect greening systems combined with planter boxes
• Planter boxes are combined with indirect systems at different levels to cover
a vast area of building.
• The system may need nutrient and irrigation equipment look like living walls.
Indirect greening system combined
with planter boxes, 1- Containers 2-
Insulated container 3- Maintenance
remote monitored irrigation /
fertilization system 4- Wall mounting
system, (source: http:gsky.com)

10.
Green walls (vertical greening)
• Should be chosen according:
o Climate, budge and architectural design
• Need regular maintenance for:
o watering, nutrient substance and pruning
• Are beneficial because of:
o sound reduction, aesthetic enhancement, external
insulation and energy efficiency
• Plant species should be chosen according:
o Environment and natural supporting systems
Source: http://www.omni-ecosystems.com

11.
Thank You

12.
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