How much are green facade systems?

In fortunate cases, the price of a climbing system may only consist of the cost of the plants and installation. If suitable soil is available, it can be as little as €1 per m². The other extreme is the “pocket” system that became known through Patrick Blanc, which costs approximately €1500 per square meter. The advanced modular systems are between €500 and €1000 per square meters.

How much and how frequently does it require maintenance?

Maintenance requires regular professional monitoring, until the “settling in” of the plants, weekly, later monthly; in ideal conditions a quarterly visit may suffice. The weekly check of the irrigation system and nutrient replacement can be performed by a local person/workforce following minimal instruction. Green facades may require occasional interventions: plant protection, removing parts after flowering, rejuvenation, plant replacements and corrections.

How are green façades irrigated?

In the majority of cases, an automatic dripping irrigation system is installed, which is also used to supply the plants with nutrients. Such equipment is satisfactorily foolproof; the cost of the installation is relatively low. Due to the limited rooting zone, ensuring faultless operation through regular monitoring is essential. If there is a soil connection, manual irrigation is also possible.

How many years is a green façade expected to last?

The life span of professionally constructed and maintained systems is theoretically several decades. There are century old green walls from the climbing type, however, modern green walls are so much of today’s ‘inventions’ that even the oldest amongst them is only 8 years old. Due to the relatively inexpensive replacement of the plants, in reality, it is the life span of the carrying system that is worth checking.

How long does it take to achieve the planned coverage?

In the case of trained climbing walls, for smaller surfaces - months, for larger ones years may be needed. With certain modular systems (such as the greenwall.pro system) the instant impact of up to 100 % coverage can be achieved. Today’s advanced systems are installed in general with 15-30% coverage, full closure by the plants is dependant on plant selection and the weather, probably 2-6 months.

What will the plants be like in the winter?

When using indigenous plants or those from a similar climate, only extreme winter conditions cause damage. When using exotic plants, especially evergreens, the loss of plants may be higher. This can be corrected in the spring by replacing any damaged plant. In order to ensure an aesthetic appearance in winter, it is recommended to choose systems where the framework is pleasing to the eye even in the case of loss of foliage.