As our cities grow, it’s important to consider the impact these spaces have on nature. What was once grassland or forest is now covered in concrete - how does that affect the area’s ecosystem?
Our understanding of how human activity impacts climate change has significantly evolved. This in turn has affected our approach to urban greening.
While urban greening might have once meant nothing more than parks and tree-lined streets, it now includes a wide variety of beautiful and creative installations. Projects like living walls and green roofs are becoming increasingly popular and are featured in more businesses, public buildings and residential areas.
The aims of urban greening are numerous, but effective; they improve the lives of the people and wildlife in the area, as well as making our cities eco-friendlier and pleasing to the eye.
Climate change isn’t just about rising sea levels; we can see the effects of excessive pollution in urban areas, the smog of Beijing being an extreme example. Cities all around the world are using urban greening to protect and improve their skylines and their health.
Here, we dive deeper into the subject of urban greening.
What is urban greening?
It has been defined as “public landscaping and urban forestry projects that create mutually beneficial relationships between city dwellers and their environments”.
In short, it’s making urban spaces green!
The most common forms of urban greening are installing trees, parks, and landscaped green areas in newly built urban projects.
Environmental benefits of urban greening
- Combats air pollution.
- Reduces noise pollution.
- Soaks up rainwater and helps reduce the risk of flooding.
- Creates a habitat for local wildlife.
- Offsets carbon emissions in the local area.
- Calming traffic and lessening urban crime.
As climate change becomes a more prominent issue, architects and city planners alike have been exploring ways to create sustainable urban living.
When something is built, its future is considered as well as its immediate use. By employing urban greening, these buildings contribute more to the environment and the people using it. A living wall or tree-lined path exponentially increases a site’s positive environmental impact. These installations pump vast amounts of oxygen into the air around them, as well as absorbing equally vast amounts of carbon dioxide which would otherwise harm the people around it.
Of course, installations like living walls also help wildlife, with videos of blackbirds living in them reminding us all that we share the world with other creatures, who need a place to live too! Integrating nature into grey urban areas brings beauty and a sense of calm which can be difficult to find in a bustling city.
Urban greening benefits for businesses
- Improved employee well-being: Greenery has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health, reducing stress and increasing relaxation. Employees who work in buildings with green features such as living walls and indoor plants have reported feeling happier, more focused, and less fatigued. This can lead to better job satisfaction, lower turnover rates, and increased productivity.
- Increased productivity: Research has shown that greenery in the workplace can improve productivity by up to 15%. This is due to a combination of factors, including improved air quality, reduced noise levels, and increased visual stimulation. By providing a more pleasant and comfortable work environment, businesses can help their employees stay focused and motivated throughout the day.
- Attractive commercial properties: Greenery can also improve the value and attractiveness of commercial properties. Buildings with green features such as rooftop gardens or green walls can command higher rents and have a higher resale value than similar buildings without these features. This can make a property more attractive to potential tenants or buyers, increasing its value and helping it to stand out in a competitive market.
- Environmental benefits: Urban greening can also have broader environmental benefits, which can indirectly benefit businesses. For example, green roofs and walls can help to reduce the urban heat island effect, which can lower energy costs for businesses by reducing the need for air conditioning. Greenery can also help to improve air quality and reduce stormwater runoff, which can help to mitigate flooding and other water-related issues that can disrupt business operations.
- Community engagement: Businesses that invest in urban greening can also build stronger ties with their local community. By creating green spaces that are open to the public, businesses can contribute to the quality of life in their neighbourhood and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. This can help to improve their reputation and build positive relationships with customers and stakeholders.
The London urban greening plan
Updated this section, kept in a bit about what the last plan was aiming to do and then the section on the latest plan
London urban greening plan 2017
In the London urban greening plan in 2017, the Mayor of London announced that they seek to increase the amount of green surface area in the Central Activities Zone by at least five per cent by 2030, and a further five per cent by 2050.
The mayor also announced a plan to plant an extra two million trees in the city by 2025, following a previous plan to plant 10,000 trees by 2015.
London urban greening plan 2021
The most recent London urban greening plan, published in 2021, states that major developments should contribute to the greening of London.
They should do this by including urban greening as a fundamental element of site and building design. Incorporating elements such as green roofs, green walls and nature-base sustainable drainage.
The 2021 plan also states that:
- Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) should be protected.
- Boroughs in developing Development plans should support the protection and conservation of priority species and habitats.
- Seek opportunities to create other habitats, using green roofs and walls.
- Urban development proposals should manage impacts on biodiversity and aim to secure biodiversity net gain.
- London’s urban forests and woodlands should be protected and maintained.
What are the drivers behind London's urban greening plans?
These plans have been implemented because of research that indicates the effectiveness of urban greening in reducing local temperatures. Temperature reduction is a high priority for London after the city experienced a heatwave in 2003 that led to over 600 deaths. This heatwave, according to the London Plan, was so severe because of the urban heat island effect, which is heightened temperatures in urban areas due to human activity and energy usage.
The plan states the importance of cooling the urban environment in combatting climate change, following research undertaken in Manchester that recommends a 10% increase in green space within a city. Emphasis has been places on including urban greening and green spaces not only in current buildings, but also in future projects.
Green infrastructure must now be included from the very beginning of a project, and development proposals must show that their ideas include green spaces and features which will help to combat climate change.
London is not alone in its attitudes toward the future of its city; cities around the world are making sure that their latest developments include urban greening.
Urban greening in action: Moor Place
Moor place, a commercial development in the heart of London, exemplifies how urban greening can transform cities into vibrant, sustainable environments.
This office building integrates a variety of green infrastructure elements, including six landscaped roof terraces and a striking living wall that spans the top six storeys.
Our modular living wall system was used to create a 'bank' between each terrace. Seamlessly connecting the green spaces and enhancing the building's aesthetic appeal.
This integration not only provides employees with access to nature but also contributes to the building's environmental credentials.
How will urban greening be used in the future in cities?
The urban environment is constantly evolving and growing, as more people move to cities and industries thrive.
One vital contribution that urban greening makes is combatting climate change, by making the local area more eco-friendly - urban greening helps with local oxygen and floodwater levels, as well as providing habitats for wildlife.
Switzerland has been particularly proactive in their approach to urban greening. They were the first city in the world to make green spaces a legal requirement on new buildings. Basal, a major city in Switzerland, has made green roofs compulsory. With now more than 1 million square metres of green roofs constructed. Making it the leading city in greening its urban spaces.
London has followed suit in their approach to urban greening, with the Mayor announcing that urban greening must be included in all future city developments and implementing specific green space targets for the city to reach in the next few years.
We’re already seeing cities around the world embrace creative ways of bringing greenery into urban spaces—from adding green walls to concrete shopping centres to transforming disused railway lines into vibrant green corridors. We expect this conscious approach to urban greening to become even more widespread in the years ahead.
The world has seen the effects that climate change has on its population, wildlife, and landscape; they now intend to fight it.
Urban greening has proven to be a smart way to include greenery into our least environmentally-friendly areas, and could be the way forward for eco-conscious societies.
Why add a living wall to your building?
Transforming public spaces is high on the agenda now, with many towns and cities competing to be named the best place to live. So, what makes one public space or station better than others?
- The key is to make it stand out. And with a living wall, you’ll be creating a feature many people have never experienced before.
- Contrast and complement a living wall against wooden panels, brick walls or any material.
- The addition of a living wall creates a contemporary feel and contributes to green cities that will delight for years.
Living wall systems from Viritopia
At Viritopia, we’re experts at designing vibrant new spaces that people enjoy spending time in, and living walls look great in any space.
With internal irrigation and drainage, living walls are easy to maintain and as they’re living, they also purify the surrounding.
If you want to add some natural beauty to the inside or outside of your building, or to want to reap the environmental benefits of a living wall for a sustainable future, get in touch with our expert team today.
