Built environment & nature-based solutions
Living Wall (Green Wall)
A vertical structure intentionally covered with vegetation — either rooted at its base (green façade) or grown in panels or modules fixed to the wall — providing insulation, cooling and biodiversity benefits.
Definition
A living wall is vegetation grown on a vertical surface, either as a green façade where climbing plants are rooted in the ground or planters, or as a true living wall where plants grow in soil or substrate held in modular panels or felt systems attached to the structure, often with integrated irrigation.
References
system types, thermal and air-quality mechanisms
green façade vs living wall distinction, design applications
Overview
What it means
Living walls create a buffer of foliage and substrate between the building and the environment, reducing surface temperatures, providing evaporative cooling, trapping particulates and offering habitat in dense urban areas.
How it is used
Applied on building exteriors and interiors for thermal performance, air-quality improvement, acoustic dampening, biophilic design and urban greening credits in planning schemes and building certifications.
Why it matters
As cities densify and heat, vertical greenery delivers nature-based cooling and biodiversity where ground space is scarce, though water use, maintenance and structural loading must be managed.
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