From most angles, Worsley Court in Rusholme, east Manchester is an unremarkable apartment block. But walk round to the side of the building that bears its name and suddenly it’s a striking example of how a giant ‘living wall’ can be used to revamp a building and improve a neighbourhood.
Housing association Eastland Homes commissioned green screen company Mobilane to install the 44m high living ivy screen up the full length of the nine-storey residential block to help insulate the building as well as enhancing the look of the structure, which was built in the 60s and is in the process of being refurbished.
Importantly, the ‘green wall’ will also help to reduce pollution levels; Worsley Court is located on Wilmslow Road, a busy bus corridor with high pollutant levels. In total, nine ivy WallPlanters have been installed by Hedera Screens to cover 100 sq m of the building. The plants will remove the same number of pollutant particulates from the air as four to five average-sized trees, but take up a fraction of the space.
Despite their great height, the WallPlanters are easy to maintain because of a special root zone in the planters that has been designed to give the plants an ideal environment in which to grow. A sophisticated irrigation system supplies water and nutrients as required.
Julian Hammond, investment manager at Eastlands Homes, says the ivy clad wall represents an affordable way to improve the look and performance of the building, benefitting both tenants and the environment: “The ivy will help to reduce heat loss from the building in winter, while in the summer months it will help to shield the building from the sun’s rays and keep the interior cool.
“Boosting Worsley Court’s insulation will have the knock-on effect of reducing energy consumption, helping to make the building more environmentally friendly and reduce energy bills for our customers. Cleaner air is a further bonus of the project.”
The inherent environmental credentials of the green screens mean that these practical challenges have been met with a highly sustainable solution. As Sean Farrell of Mobilane says, “Eastlands Homes emphasised the importance of sustainability in the brief for this project; they were looking for a long term solution to the problem of poor insulation which would also enhance the local area. With minimal maintenance required and the significant benefit of purer air, the WallPlanters deliver on every level.”