Vertical Garden Construction Market

The global vertical garden construction market is a dynamic market and is expected to witness high growth in the next six years. The demand for vertical garden construction is poised to be driven by growing demand for vertical garden and growing demand for green buildings. However, the need for proper maintenance acts as a challenge for the vertical garden construction market.

With the growth of the global population, there is a growing demand for high rise buildings. The construction of such buildings will raise the market for vertical garden construction due to the various benefits associated with it. Vertical gardens are used as one of the methods of adding to green infrastructure and enhancing the appearance of new buildings and retrofitting in existing buildings. Moreover, they require limited ground space and help individuals remain close to the nature, even in the most densely populated urban environments. It not only has economic and ecological benefits but also enhances aesthetic value. Such gardens improve the aesthetic attributes of the building. They can be created on the outside of buildings, semi-open spaces, and interiors. The construction styles and the benefits of vertical gardens vary with numerous factors, such as different buildings, green wall technologies, plant selections, and plant coverage. Vertical gardens play an important role in local temperature and pollution reduction, air quality improvement, and the improvement of local microclimatic conditions. Therefore, they assist in air filtration, which is a problem faced by occupants in most of the commercial buildings, located in crowded areas of the city. They help maintain humidity levels and wall temperatures as well as they help building overheating reduction. Some of the major benefits associated with the construction of vertical gardens are discussed below:

· Improved air quality: Vertical gardens naturally filter air, creating a cleaner and more invigorating environment. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), ambient air pollution was responsible for 4.2 million deaths in the year 2016. The plants in the gardens significantly improve the indoor and outdoor air quality and reduce the existing greenhouse gas and volatile organic compounds from the environment, converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen.

· Noise reduction: Soil and plants used in vertical gardens, have the ability to absorb sounds. Thus, the environment becomes much quieter as vertical gardens act as a sound barrier in buildings.

· Aesthetic Improvement: Vertical gardens provide aesthetic variation in an environment or the buildings. Planting patterns with varied species ensure superior appearance to common buildings. Therefore, the structures constructed with vertical gardens add to the natural beauty by replacing the cold, hard, and conventional look with the green walls, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of a locality. The adoption of vertical gardens enhances property values as it increases the property value and gains it a higher public acclaim. Therefore, such gardens are usually used on the exteriors of skyscrapers, hotel lobbies, reception areas, and other spaces across the world.

· Ambient Temperature reduction: Vegetation on walls can lead to a cooler and more pleasant climate by cooling buildings in summer. Plants absorb most of the sunlight, providing shade, insulation, and evaporative cooling, which can lower energy use and costs.

· Promoting Health and Wellness: Vertical gardens can lead to reduced fatigue and stress by creating a calm environment as they help prevent heat passing through walls and noise. Green environment has a positive effect on the well-being of individuals as it can refresh the mind and provide better living environment. Individuals can feel less psychologically and physiological stressed by remaining in contact with the natural greenery of the vertical gardens.

· Urban Wildlife: Vertical gardens provide a natural habitat for the different species of wildlife. One of the main threats to wildlife today is the alarming rate of vanishing natural habitats, which endanger many species and ecosystem. Such solutions help restore the wildlife environment and habitants. They can serve as home to fauna including birds, bees, and butterflies with the perfect water, food, protection, and conditions to survive and grow.

· LEED Credits: The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications program, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is an internationally recognized green building certification system, which assists in design, construction, and operation of buildings as eco-friendly properties. The installation of living green walls can earn building LEED points, resulting in a high property value due to the favorable perception of a structure with an improved carbon footprint.

Thus, due to the several benefits associated with vertical gardens, consumers are inclined toward their use as per the construction project requirements. The need to improving the aesthetic appeal of buildings and reaping their environmental benefits is expected to add to the growth of the global vertical garden construction market. Thus, the impact of the growing demand for vertical garden on the global vertical garden construction market, is expected to shift from moderate to high over the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific accounts for the largest market share in the global vertical garden construction industry and is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period, due to the increasing number of construction projects, which are set to go underway. With the nations such as India, China, and South Korea looking to strengthen their infrastructural base, boost the aesthetics of the cities, and curb pollution. Therefore, these countries focus on the construction of vertical gardens, which filter the air and reduce the existing greenhouse gas by converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen. For instance, in August 2019, the Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) announced to introduce vertical gardens in Seoul for public housing by applying an “automated irrigation system”, which can automatically water plants according to the temperature. Furthermore, the company plans to introduce plant purification benches in Seoul on a trial base, a combined rest area of plants and benches, for helping residents ease concerns over fine dust.

Furthermore, inspired from the other countries such as China and Italy, India is also focusing on the construction of vertical gardens in cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Noida. In 2017, India’s first vertical garden was set up at the Hosur Road Electronics City Flyover in Bengaluru, Karnataka for controlling the pollution level of the city. Moreover, it will act as a soundproofing barrier.

The concept of vertical garden construction has been warmly welcomed in Asia-Pacific, mainly due to the focus on reducing urban heat island effect and smog, decreasing air pollution levels, filtering ambient air and dust, and reducing carbon footprint.

Maintenance is very crucial for a vertical garden. One of the main causes of its failure is the lack of proper maintenance. Vertical gardens grow upward alongside building exteriors and interior walls. Its vertical alignment results in certain parts of the living green wall being subjected to a higher level of heat and sunlight than other parts, which may result in plants dying as some of their parts may face extreme heat. Moreover, most plants usually require strong light sources for photosynthesis. The challenge lies in ensuring the right amount of light absorption by the plants of the vertical garden. Indoor plant walls do not receive proper sunlight, which can harm the plant health. Therefore, artificial lights have to be installed for providing the proper light for the plants in the indoor plant walls. Furthermore, watering and drainage are important concerns in the maintenance of indoor vertical gardens, which require constant monitoring and a proper drainage system. Moreover, property owners have to pay additional charges for the proper maintenance for the garden, which include watering, fertilizing, weed control, pest control, and harvesting charges over a long period. Therefore, the need for proper maintenance is expected to challenge for the vertical garden construction market players.