Frankfurt am Main, Germany
City population: 674619
Duration: 2017 – 2017
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Project area: 135 m2
Type of area: Building
Last updated: October 2021

At the Frankfurt Airport, the departures hall of Terminal 2 features green walls measuring about 135 square meters and covered with live plants. The walls also provide oxygen from photosynthesis, improve acoustics, and reduce carbon dioxide concentrations and dust in the air (1). The plants grow in special mats without soil and are automatically irrigated with the aid of a drainage system. Frankfurt Airport now sports various types of ferns, climbing plants, and spider plants. Flamingo flowers add dashes of red to the green sea. The hanging gardens are located in Concourses D and E. (1)

Green wall
Source: http://www.airport-world.com/news/general-news/6051-ever-green-frankfurt-airport-unveils-new-hanging-garden.html

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Nature in buildings
  • Green walls and ceilings

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement

Focus

Creation of new green areas

Project objectives

1. Create an additional attraction and "atmosphere of tranquillity" for the airport visitors (1); 2. Provide oxygen from photosynthesis (1); 3. Improve acoustics (2); 4. Reduce carbon dioxide concentrations and dust in the air (1, 3).

Implementation activities

Installation of hanging gardens in the departure lounges and waiting areas of both terminals of the airport (3).

Main beneficiaries

  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Other

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Private sector/corporate actor/company

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Dissemination of information and education

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

A Frankfurt-based company that manages the operation of the Frankfurt airport transport terminals has commissioned the project (3).

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

  • Private Foundation/Trust

Type of funding

  • Direct funding or subsidy

Non-financial contribution

No

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved mental health

Type of reported impacts

Expected 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