Last updated: October 2021
On an office building, one of the largest green walls of Belgium was created (50.000 plants) that improves air quality, reduces heat stress, and improves biodiversity. The green wall also isolates the building, resulting in less energy use (Ref. 1-3). The wall consists of a variety of native plants and is irrigated with water collected on the roof of the building (Ref. 1, 2).
http://atlas.naturvation.eu/node/1545/edit
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green walls or facades
- Green areas for water management
- Other
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Noise reduction
Focus
Creation of new green areas
Project objectives
The main goal of the intervention was to reduce air pollution including particulate matter and carbon dioxide that meets the sustainability strategy of the designers of the green wall (Ref. 1).
Implementation activities
Creating a living wall consisting of 50.000 native plants (Ref. 1, 2, 3). Creating a sustainable irrigation system which captures storm water from the roof in an underground water basin which stores 20.000 liters of water, which is used for the irrigation of plants (Ref. 4, 5). "The walls were given a two-layer makeover: first insulation, then plants. The plants grow in panels filled with rock wool. The rock wool is wrapped in felt. The felt retains the plants and moisture. There is a rainwater tank of 20,000 liters underground. This is enough to always have water in stock for the entire wall garden. An irrigation pipe runs through the entire wall, which waters the plants. And that is necessary because the plants receive three liters of water per day per square meter. Since no soil is used in this system, the plants need to be watered constantly and get their nourishment from the fertilizer that flows through the irrigation system with the water" (Ref. 5).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Install vertical or horizontal artificial surfaces that help with carbon storage and cooling
Main beneficiaries
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project was commissioned by Intervest Offices & Warehouses (real estate company). The green wall was created on one of their buildings, which is now called 'The GreenHouse'. The renovation of the building including the green wall is designed by Conix RDBM Architects and the green wall is implemented by Ambius Belux (plant company) and Sempergreen (company specialized in green roofs and walls) (Ref. 1, 2).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
No
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Corporate investment
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Reduced emissions
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Reduced noise exposure
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Sempergreen (n.d.). Greenhouse Antwerp. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 5, 2020).
2. Unknown (n.d.) Greenhouse Antwerp [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 5, 2020).
3. Intervest (2016). Intervest levert met groene gevel van 50.000 levende planten belangrijke bijdrage aan Groene Singel. Antwerp: Intervest Offices & Warehouses. [pdf] (Document attached).
4. Geerts, P. (2016). Antwerpen/Kantoorpand krijgt groene wand. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 5, 2020).
5. Gemeente Antwerpen (2017). Groene gevels los van de grond. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 5, 2020).
2. Unknown (n.d.) Greenhouse Antwerp [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 5, 2020).
3. Intervest (2016). Intervest levert met groene gevel van 50.000 levende planten belangrijke bijdrage aan Groene Singel. Antwerp: Intervest Offices & Warehouses. [pdf] (Document attached).
4. Geerts, P. (2016). Antwerpen/Kantoorpand krijgt groene wand. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 5, 2020).
5. Gemeente Antwerpen (2017). Groene gevels los van de grond. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 5, 2020).
https://cgconcept.be/antwerpen-kantoorpand-krijgt-groene-wand/