04.11.2016

Scaffold plant wall

UK international engineering company Arup, along with property management company Grosvenor, has revealed a new environmentally friendly scaffold cover in Mayfair, London.

The two have installed a Swedish made Plant Wall to the exterior of a façade scaffold on the St Mark’s building, a Grade I listed property. Grosvenor is converting the building into a new retail and community space with completion due in 2017.

The 80 square metre plant screen has been designed by Arup and manufactured by the Swedish manufacturer Green Fortune which makes the original Plant Wall. Arup has named is scaffold adaption Living Wall Lite, and filled it with a mixture of grasses, flowers and strawberries. As will all of Green Fortune’s Plant Walls it incorporates a drip feed watering and fertilising system and will be fitted with sensors to monitor its impact on noise, temperature and air pollution. The companies claim that the ‘wall’ will reduce noise pollution by up to 10 decibels, and has the potential to reduce air pollution by up to 20 percent. Another benefit is a dramatic aesthetic improvement compared to plain or netted scaffold.
Please register to see all images

The Living Wall Lite

Development director Mark Tredwell said: “This is a great initiative and is in line with our long term ambition to improve the environmental sustainability of the buildings across our London estate, reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2030. As the estate continues to adapt and evolve we want to ensure that the impact on the community is positive. As well as reducing air pollution, we hope the living wall will introduce a rich biodiversity to Mayfair and encourage people to linger in the area.”

Living Wall developer Alistair Law added: “Living Wall Lite has the potential to transform scaffolding and hoardings into much more than just a cover up. By introducing plants and flowers, we can create a more attractive and healthier environment for local residents, businesses and workers on site.”