Over 600,000 square feet of green walls were installed across North America in 2015.

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) is pleased to announce the results of the first-ever annual Green Wall Industry Survey.  In 2015, more than 600,000 square feet of green walls were installed across North America.

The annual Green Wall Industry Survey collected a variety of data on North American green wall installations, including size, location, wall structure, type of green wall system, and whether or not the installation qualified for LEED credits.  The report is available, at no cost, at greenroofs.org.

“We are very pleased with the leadership in the green wall industry which has enabled us to compile this market research. As the sector continues to grow we look forward to even better data in the years to come,” said Steven W. Peck, Founder and President, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. “We look forward to learning the latest in green wall research and technology at CitiesAlive: 14th Annual Green Roof and Wall Conference in Washington, DC from November 1-4, 2016.”

2014 CitiesAlive Awards of Excellence, Exterior Green Wall Award, The Shoppes at Kingsbury Square, Chicago, IL; greenfacade® System; Award Winner: Wolff Landscape Architecture.

Green wall installations are taking place in almost every US state, with some preference for the coastal states.  California is leading in green wall installations, with New York and Florida following in second and third place respectively.  A major selling point of green wall installations is their eligibility for USGBC LEED credits for a project.  Additionally, financial, social and environmental benefits such as improved property value, health and well-being, and reduced energy use can be attributed to green wall installations.

2014 CitiesAlive Awards of Excellence, Exterior Green Wall Award, The Shoppes at Kingsbury Square, Chicago, IL; greenfacade® System; Award Winner: Wolff Landscape Architecture.

The green wall industry represents a growing and developing market sector which requires policy support and conclusive data to support growth and development.  This inaugural report will serve as a baseline measure for subsequent reports.

“We are so proud to have laid the groundwork to be able to provide our members with valuable information about the growth and trends of the green wall industry in North America” said Melissa Daniels, CNLP, Vice President & Horticultural Specialist, Plant Connection, Inc. and co-chair of the GRHC Green Wall Technical Committee.

Programming Available Only at CitiesAlive

Green Walls & Water Management: Stormwater Management & Potable Water Use Best Practices
November 2 – 10:30 am – 12:00 pm:

Water scarcity in many parts of the country, and proposed changes to LEED credits, are among the factors that threaten the long-term success of green walls. Experts in the industry weigh in how to overcome these barriers by designing and maintaining for maximum resilience, using green walls for stormwater management, using non-traditional sources of water, minimizing potable water use, ensuring that the benefits of green walls are clearly articulated, and more.

Chaired by Warren Gorowitz, Vice President of Sustainability, Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply, learn from green wall experts:
• Dr. Alan Darlington, Founder & Owner, Nedlaw Living Walls
• Hal Thorne, Chairman & CEO, GSky Plant Systems Inc.
• Melissa Daniels, CNLP, VP & Horticultural Specialist, Plant Connection, Inc.

Green Stormwater Management Case Studies from Around the World
November 2 – 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm:

Designing for Biodiversity Green Roofs in Europe
Kamilla Aggerlund, Landscape Architect MDL, Assistant Professor, University of Copenhagen
Addressing a trend in Denmark, a strong wish among the public to add nature and biodiversity into cities, referred to as ‘city nature’. The role of green roofs and walls in this trend is presented along with the evolution of products for this market such as wild habitat plantings.

Using Green Wall Evapotranspiration to Manage Storm Discharge: An Example in San Juan, Puerto Rico
David L Aponte Dones, MSCE, GRP, Environmental Engineer, Office of Landscape Architecture
This presentation explores The Banco Popular Foundation building in San Juan Puerto Rico, where two green walls with a combined area of 3,200 sq. ft. manage more than 5,000 gallons of harvested water daily.

2016 Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design
Linda Velazquez, ASLA, LEED AP, GRP, Publisher & Design Consultant, Greenroofs.com
Haven Kiers, ASLA, LEED AP, GRP, Design Editor, Greenroofs.com
Enjoy a special 10th Anniversary Edition of Greenroofs.com’s popular Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design series with the theme of What’s old (or classic) is new again!

Designing Stormwater Runoff Minimizing Green Walls
November 3 – 10:45 am – 12:45 pm:

Water, Indoor Plant Walls and Building Performance
Dr. Alan Darlington, Founder & Owner, Nedlaw Living Walls
Dr. Darlington will discuss, with good design, living walls can replace key air handling components, and can use non-traditional water sources like stormwater or HVAC condensate to further sustainability goals.

Living Alternatives to Concrete Retaining Walls
Mark Woolbright, Filtrexx Living Wall Division Manager, Filtrexx International
This session will teach us how living walls can provide structural reinforcement, aesthetic diversity, temperature moderation, green space, and habitat.

Green Walls and Hanging Gardens
Matthew T. Berrelli, P.E., Eastern US Sales Engineering Manager, Ronstan Tensile Architecture
Using case studies of actual projects, this presentation will identify common barriers to green façade projects, like cost, maintenance, and various misconceptions and objections by clients, builders, and the designers themselves.

LED Lighting for Green Walls
Nathan Weipert, Sales Engineer, Sunlite Science & Technology
LED fixtures are the latest trend and Nathan will discuss how white light is produced from LED fixtures and how the spectrum emitted can affect the plant’s growth.

Training: Green Walls 101: System Overview and Design
November 1st – 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Price: $175 members / $199 non-members:

This course discusses design and construction best practices for green facades and living walls, including maintenance and irrigation requirements. Discover the latest research findings on the environmental benefits of these technologies. Registration includes a 95-page course manual.

Earn 3.5 Continuing Education/Professional Development Hours from LA CES, AIA CES, USGBC/GBCI, APLD, and NALP/CNLA.

Instructor: Melissa Daniels, CNLP, VP & Horticultural Specialist, Plant Connection, Inc.

Register for CitiesAlive here.

Kara Orr, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

Kara Orr is the marketing coordinator at Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), a membership-based industry association developing the green (vegetative) roof and wall industry in North America. Contact her to discuss sponsorship, trade show and programming opportunities.

GRHC’s mission is to increase the awareness of the economic, social and environmental benefits of green roofs and green walls, and other forms of living architecture through education, advocacy, professional development and celebrations of excellence. Visit www.greenroofs.org for more information.

Contact Kara at: 416-971-4494 x226.