The Science Of Vertical Gardens In An Urban Landscape

By newspaperport on June 13, 2015 • ( Leave a comment )

The 7R Future Leadership Institute is supported by a steady growing membership base. Mr. Teun Depreeuw joined “The 7R Future Leadership Institute”, more specifically the chapter “Urban Leadership”.

Teun Depreeuw is founder and owner of ‘Muurtuin.be’, a company specialized in designing, manufacturing, installing and maintaining vertical gardens. Mr. Depreeuw has a track record in environmentally sustainable architectural projects. He owns the green building company ‘Ecoverbo’ as well as Schelpen.be, the latter an innovative company using shells as insulating material. Mr. Depreeuw was also the first one to keep bees in hives on the rooftop of buildings in the center of the city of Antwerp in Belgium.

With Muurtuin.be Mr. Depreeuw entered the area of designing and installing sustainable internal and external installations. Being an horticulturist himself he has hand selected a wide range of plant varieties especially suitable for growing on walls and roofs. In order to continuously evaluate the pogress of his vertical gardens, Mr. Depreeuw is involved in several research projects both privately and publicly funded.

Vertical gardens have proven to create a micro climate surrounding the structure they are mounted on, acting as a living natural shield insulating a building from heat, air pollution and noise. Besides that the vertical garden helps to regulate temperature by cooling and shading an area. Research has revealed that plants improve both indoor and outdoor air quality by removing harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and absorbing pollutants. Houses have been found to have consistently poorer air quality indoors than out, even with external pollution. So growing plants vertically even in compact spaces like windowsills, balconies, front entrances and hanging in aerial space will make a significant difference to one’s health.