Here is a neat idea from Japan (well, I’ve seen them sprouting up everywhere here, too) – Green Curtains. The idea is to plant a living fence that shades a cool air pocket between the “curtain” and the building. Of course, vines have been growing over house walls since we started building, so this is not a new idea.

Also, check out  Patrick Blanc’s “Vertical Garden” website for a slew of cool photos of his thermic isolation system: www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com

Article & Image Source: www.livingwallart.com

Kyocera – a Japanese company – took living walls and tried to maximize their energy and cost savings through a Green Curtain. It’s a stellar idea that involves planting vines on what looks to be similar to a massive chain link fence. The fence is set just off the building which allows a cool air pocket between the living wall and the building. That air dramatically diminishes the work the company’s A/C unit has to do to cool the building.

The length of the vertical gardens in all of Kyocera Group locations are 294m (965ft), which actually covers a total area of 775m² (8,342ft²). The growth of these Green Curtains will be able to absorb roughly 2,713kg-CO2 (5981lb-CO2) per year, or roughly the same amount as 194 cedar trees.

I can’t believe how quickly the vines covered that space. Those must be some ridiculously quick growing vines.

For the energy savings of this living wall/green curtain, Kyocera found that the Green Curtains can decrease the temperature by as much as 15 degrees C (27 degrees F). That’s amazing. – Article & Image Source: www.livingwallart.com

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Here are some more cool “living walls” from around the world:

Patrick Blanc’s “Vertical Garden” at the CaixaForum, Madrid – a new cultural center.
See more of Patrick’s work at: www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com

Source: www.justplants-bristol.co.uk

Oulu, a bar in Williamsburg, NYC – Source: www.inhabitat.com