Photo Credit: Jim Dobie Photography.

Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 5/15/17

Edmonton Federal Building Living Wall Biofilter
Edmonton, AB, Canada
2,400 sf. Living Wall

Project of the Week Mini Description & Details

Constructed in the late 1950s, the 11-story Edmonton Federal Building is considered one of the city’s most significant modern buildings and one of the best surviving examples of Art Deco design in Canada. In 2014 Nedlaw Living Walls designed and built the multi-award winning living wall for the new Edmonton Federal Building lobby, under the direction of architectural firm Kasian. The Living Wall Biofilter is the focal point of the large glass public atrium – the newly added grand entranceway into the rejuvenated, historic building.

Much more than an aesthetic feature, this living wall biofilter is a working element of the building’s mechanical system, an integral part of its HVAC system. The biofilter draws air through the wall of plants to the growth medium where biological agents consume pollutants. The clean air is returned to the building to improve indoor air quality and building performance.

The living wall and combined water feature provide a calm and serene moment in the busy public space. Installed and maintained by Terra Landscaping, the vibrant layered and organic pattern of the plants makes the wall a work of art, and provides a foil for the otherwise angular and clean-lined space. This multi-level, multi-sided living wall biofilter is the largest biofilter in Alberta, covering 2,400 square feet. A recent study predicts that in the Edmonton region, a biofilter can save $398 – $726 per 100 liters of fresh air generated (by the biofilter).

In addition to providing clean air at a fraction of the cost of a traditional HVAC system, the living wall biofilter at Edmonton Federal contributes to the humidity levels of the atrium space. As such the living wall system is adding innovation points to the LEED Gold certification goal. The Edmonton Federal Building is open year-round to the public. Welcoming employees and guests, the living wall provides a soft, soothing, and secure feeling while entering into the gigantic entrance.

Photo Credit: Jim Dobie Photography.

Photo Credit: Jim Dobie Photography.

Year: 2014
Owner: Government of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
Building Type: Municipal/Government
Type: Living Wall
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 2400 sq.ft.
Slope: 100%
Access: Accessible, Open to Public

Photo Credit: Jim Dobie Photography.

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:

Designers: Kasian Architecture / Nedlaw Living Walls / Nedlaw Group
Living Wall Biofilter System: Dr. Alan Darlington, Nedlaw Living Walls
Installation & Maintenance: Terra Landscaping Ltd.
Original 1958 Building Architect: George Heath MacDonald

Photo Credit: Jim Dobie Photography.

More Info

View the Edmonton Federal Building Living Wall Biofilter PROJECT PROFILE to see ALL of the Photos and Additional Information about this particular project in The International Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.

Photo Credit: Jim Dobie Photography.

Project of the Week Video Feature

Watch the Edmonton Federal Building Living Wall Biofilter Project of the Week Video below or see it on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

Greenroofs.com Project of the Week 5/15/17 video photos courtesy of Kasian Architecture by Jim Dobie Photography via Nedlaw Living Walls, Terra Landscaping Ltd., and the “Federal Public Building during construction in 1958, RP164.2,” via the Provincial Archives of Alberta.

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