Cities are becoming increasingly vulnerable. The effects of climate change exacerbate risk conditions and intensify as cities continue to expand.
Experts assert that green spaces positively affect our health, as they are associated with reduced premature mortality, increased life expectancy, and fewer mental health issues and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, they enhance cognitive function in both children and the elderly.
The WHO recommends universal access to green spaces and sets a goal of having a green space within a 300-metre straight-line distance from every home.
Nature Based Solutions (NBS) emerge as a highly effective and sustainable approach to mitigating these adverse effects. Among these solutions, living walls stand out for their ability to integrate nature directly into urban infrastructure.
The role of living walls in urban resilience
In modern urban planning, living walls represent an advanced strategy to enhance the climate resilience of cities. These solutions act as a natural system that improves air quality, regulates temperature, and optimises the energy performance of buildings.
Covering facades with plants insulates buildings, increases biodiversity, and reduces pollution. An increasing number of cities are investing in these projects, which sometimes even include food production.
Living walls, as part of Nature-Based Solutions, are a key tool for transforming urban environments.
NBS leverage ecosystem services to address complex urban problems such as water management, the reduction of urban heat islands, and the promotion of biodiversity. By integrating them into architectural design, thermal efficiency of buildings is improved, contributing significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions and the increase of urban biodiversity.
Living walls: technical solutions for urban challenges
Living walls are a technical solution that maximises space utilisation and provides tangible benefits both environmentally and structurally. They also successfully address the challenges presented by so-called “compact cities,” urban areas characterised by limited space, high population density, and a high concentration of pedestrian zones.
These systems, composed of specialised substrates and plants selected for their adaptability and resilience, improve air quality by absorbing pollutants and trapping particles. Additionally, they function as natural thermal insulation, reducing the need for air conditioning and, consequently, the energy consumption of buildings.
Terapia Urbana, with its experience in the design and implementation of green facades, ensures that each project is optimised according to local climatic conditions and the specific characteristics of the building.
Terapia Urbana’s greening systems are based on Fytotextile® technology, developed and patented at the University of Seville, and the subject of numerous scientific articles that detail its technical properties and benefits.
Fytotextile® is a modular textile system, whose optimised combination of layers creates an excellent growing medium for vegetation development.
The integration of automated irrigation systems and moisture monitoring technologies ensures long-term sustainability and minimal maintenance.
Water optimisation and sustainable management
One of the greatest challenges in cities is water management, especially during heavy rainfall events.
Vegetated facades significantly contribute to urban water management. By capturing and filtering rainwater, these systems not only reduce the burden on drainage infrastructure but also reuse the captured water for irrigation, promoting more efficient and sustainable management of this vital resource.
An innovative and efficient approach to green architecture
At Terapia Urbana, we adopt an integrated and technical approach to the implementation of living walls, combining design, engineering, and sustainability. We work closely with architects and engineers to integrate solutions that maximise ecological and aesthetic benefits while ensuring the technical and economic feasibility of the project.