Living Walls for Health and Well-being
The positive benefits of specifying living walls for both interiors and exteriors are extensive. They play an important role in the much larger puzzle of biophilic Design and green infrastructure.
What is Biophilia?
Biophilia is our innate need as human beings to connect with nature. It encapsulates our connection with all things biological and natural. Whilst the built environment cannot exactly replicate wild landscapes, it can mimic nature and biodiversity. With urbanisation of our planet on the rise and predicted to reach 7 billion people living in cities by the end of this century, how we use plants in our cities can have a significant impact on improving the lives of city dwellers worldwide. By just 2025 56% of the global population will reside in cities, consuming 70% of the world’s energy (Arup Cities Alive) – these facts make the urgency for introducing more plants into our cities offices and homes more crucial.
Introducing plants, trees, living walls, green roofs and rain-gardens into our cities invigorates our connection with nature (biophilia) thus improving health and well-being, this has a solid impact on the productivity of people both at work and play making the case for greening up existing property assets and incorporating green amenity space at point of development crucial for the long-term vision of our cities and health of city dwellers and workers.
How living walls can support biophilic design?
Biophilic design includes the incorporation of natural light, views of nature, good indoor climate with correct humidity, quiet places to work and hold meetings and privacy. The outcomes of good biophilic design show clearly that it is possible to lower stress, improve people’s cognitive functions and enhance creativity. These are all benefits that have a positive impact on our health. Living Walls are perfect for the office environment, creating a great aesthetic, greening otherwise dull expanses of wall, helping to create good ambient temperatures and humidity, reducing noise and reconnecting us with nature in an otherwise man-made environment – effectively pressing our biophilia buttons! To read more about the topic from Biophilic Designer Oliver Heath, click here.
How can Scotscape help?
Our expertise enables us to design, install and maintain living walls of any scale at your property – inside or out. The unique Fytotextile Living Wall system even allows for greening around curved services and our bespoke service supports the greening of otherwise tricky to access shapes and surfaces. In house detailed horticultural knowledge ensures that we can genuinely advise on the best plants for interiors and air-quality benefits and on the outside our designs will be tailored to location and climate ensuring the best health – long term.
