Green Walls are Cool

from Time

Green walls are becoming hot because they are cool.  According to Time magazine, "Vertical gardens are on the rise."  Using panels of "living walls" has become a way of advertising your building's "greenness".   But is it really environmentally sound?
Done correctly, they can reduce heating and cooling expenses, although not as effectively as a green roof which costs far less per square foot to install.  Also, watering a vertical garden is a challenge, as rain tends to fall down, not reliably sideways.  Drip irrigation is necessary and frequently monitoring systems are needed.
A green living wall is good advertising.  Like the old saying about avoiding a doctor whose waiting room plants are dying, a brown vertical garden loses most of its value.  Minsuk Cho who has designed these walls says, "Just like any garden, maintaining a green wall takes commitment.  It shouldn't be considered as a building material but more like a pet."  They add, a very large and thirsty one.