Karlsruhe fights against summer heat: a vertical garden as a solution!

Karlsruhe fights against summer heat: a vertical garden as a solution!

Karlsruhe, Deutschland - The summer heat is an ever more pressing problem in the city centers. A clever approach to counteract the heat can be found in Karlsruhe: Here Volker Lück has equipped his new house with a vertical garden, a green facade that is twice well. According to swr not only ensures that the area is exploited, but also improves the microclima. With around 3,000 plants, including about 50 different species, the green wall dresses the building. This type of greening, also known as a plant wall or "Living Wall", offers a refreshing solution for cities that suffer from the summer heat.

vertical gardens are anything but a novelty. The French botanist Patanist Patrick Blanc invented this innovative garden design, which does not require any earth or conventional climbing plants. Instead, they use a synthetic fleece that is attached vertically to a metal scaffold, explains Green League . This enables plants to settle in urban environments and to be able to thrive splendidly. Care is uncomplicated, which makes it particularly attractive for urban habitats.

environmental advantages and quality of life

As the example of Lück shows, vertical gardens can bring positive effects far beyond the optics. These green walls cool the surroundings through water emissions, called transpiration, and at the same time offer habitat for numerous insects and birds. According to Greenkama such urban greening have many advantages: They improve air quality by absorbing pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and ozone. In addition, they have the potential to alleviate the urban heating effect, which is particularly advantageous in hot summers.

The vertical garden of Lück not only attracts many animals, but also represents an important contribution to biodiversity. A special research project by the Fraunhofer Institute is currently testing a "wild climate wall" that is supposed to consist of wild plants. The aim is to continue to cool urban spaces and food sources as well as shelter for insects and birds. This shows that city greening is a central part of sustainable urban development and not only contributes to the aesthetic value of the environment, but also to improve the psychological well -being of the residents.

a simple concept with a high effect

The implementation of a vertical garden requires a certain level of planning, as Lück demonstrated. His wall, which is about 50 square meters tall, was designed according to a carefully elaborated plan. An automatic irrigation system that is fed with water from an old heating oil tank, while the drip pipes supply the plants with everything necessary, ensures that the maintenance effort remains minimal. Cut out once in autumn and once in spring, as well as 100 to 150 replanting annually - that's all that is needed.

The vertical garden in Karlsruhe is an encouraging example for everyone who is interested in urban greening projects. It shows how innovative approaches can not only contribute to combating the heat in our cities, but also significantly increasing the quality of life of the residents. When it comes to urban design, there is something, because the time for more green in our urban rooms is now!