As the British population increases, it seems that many cities will gradually expand. Urban density is not likely to decline and conventional green spaces like parks may be threatened by development. This may mean that there is a need for new techniques to encourage animal life in urban areas. In these circumstances, the living wall may start to come into its own. An experiment at the University of Sheffield aims to find out more about all the benefits of living walls.
What is already known
It is already established that planted walls can have a positive influence on air quality. They are particularly useful when levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter are high. Obviously, planted walls have the potential to transform the appearance of the urban environment. Planted walls can also enable people to grow food.
Animals may welcome planted walls
A diversity of creatures should appreciate a planted wall. For example, insects, birds and small mammals could all enjoy living in a planted structure some of the time. The research team at the University of Sheffield are particularly keen to build on the knowledge in this area.
Thermal impacts under the spotlight
It is well known that planted walls can have a significant influence of the temperature of buildings. They can reduce the need for heating in winter and cut air conditioning bills in summer. However, the temperature question will be looked at in some extra detail during the course of the trial at the University of Sheffield. The eventual research findings in this area may prove of interest.
