Last updated: September 2024
Air pollution is one of the most pressing sustainability challenges in the UK, with particulate levels exceeding both WHO guidelines and EU safe limits in many cities (Ref 6). In 2014, Birmingham was identified by the WHO as one of nine UK cities breaching air pollution safety guidelines (Ref 2, 3). In 2012, a soil-based green wall was installed at Birmingham New Street Train Station as part of a project aimed at improving air quality, as diesel train services contribute significantly to nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution. However, most of the plants did not survive. In 2017, Network Rail commissioned a private company to reconstruct the wall using a hydroponic system (Ref 3). The new green wall was installed in 2018 and completed in May 2019 (Ref 1, 3). This hydroponic green wall not only enhances the urban environment with calming green infrastructure, but also helps mitigate air pollution and promotes biodiversity with the addition of 16,600 plants (Ref 1, 2, 3).
The new water based living wall in Birmingham New Street Station
Biotecture
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green walls or facades
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social interaction
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
- Environmental Degradation
- Air pollution
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Rapid urbanization
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of green roofs and walls, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks), Improved governance of green or blue areas, Re-design of existing NBS governance or management approaches
Project objectives
Goals of Birmingham New Street Station project (Ref 4):
1) To enhance sustainable urbanization by building a pleasant promenade of calming, green infrastructure within the built urban environment.
2) To install a hydroponic living wall that enhances local micro climate regulation.
3) To contribute to carbon sequestration and to reduces greenhouse gases, by incorporating more greenery
4) To increase the well being of the residents and the people transiting the station by improving the environment for commuters and residents, providing a green and pleasant space that can be enjoyed by all, promoting social inclusion
Implementation activities
1) Removed the old, soil based, living wall system and reconstruct an all new hydroponic living wall to replace it (Ref 3).
2) Replanted the horizontal planter the runs at the base of the living wall and three stand along planters on the station end of the walkway and added 16,600 new plants (1,2,3).
3) The ongoing maintenance regime including particular plant care requirements, irrigation system running parameters and site specific information. The irrigation system is remotely monitored daily and regular site visits will be performed to monitor the appearance and overall health of the living wall (ibid.).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Install vertical or horizontal artificial surfaces that help with carbon storage and cooling
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Communities near industrial areas
Main beneficiaries
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Public sector institution
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The new living wall project was commissioned by Network Rail and reconstructed by the green infrastructure company Biotecture (Ref 2, 3). Agreements has been signed for the reconstruction and the maintenance of the living wall between Network Rail and Biotecture (Ref 3). Biotecture's core concept is to transform urban architecture for the well-being of the people and the planet and reconnect people with nature (Ref 1).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Public regional budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Expected improved air quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Achieved increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Health and wellbeing
- Enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Expected enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Young G (2019). Why the giant living green wall of New Street Station had to be ripped out. 2nd ed. Birmingham: BirminghamLive, Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Rose M. (2019). Welcoming Wall at Birmingham New Street Station. Birmingham: Biotecture, Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Biotecture (n.d.). Biotecture Case Study—Birmingham New Street Train Station . Biotecture, Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
4.
NetworkNatrue (n.d.). Birmingham New Street Station. Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Rail Safety and Standards Board (2019). Birmingham New Street - A New Approach to Infrastructure. Rail Safety and Standards Board, Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Weerakkody, U.; Dover, W., J.; Mitchell, P.; Reiling, K. (n.d.). Particulate matter pollution capture by leaves of seventeen living wall species with special reference to rail-traffic at a metropolitan station. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, p. 173-186 Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Office for National Statistics (2021). Area profile for E00186100. Census 2021, Accessed on August 5, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Pettit, H. (2018). 'Living green walls' lined with trees and bushes could help reduce toxic pollution by absorbing carbon dioxide on major commuter routes. MailOnline, Accessed on August 5, 2024, [Source link];
The new water based living wall in Birmingham New Street Station
Biotecture
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.