{"id":1220,"date":"2024-04-15T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sempergreen-international.com\/us\/?p=1220"},"modified":"2024-07-25T09:30:22","modified_gmt":"2024-07-25T09:30:22","slug":"a-building-bursting-with-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sempergreen-international.com\/us\/blog\/a-building-bursting-with-life\/","title":{"rendered":"A building bursting with life!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When you think about architecture and fa\u00e7ade design, your mind might not\u00a0immediately\u00a0wander to the wilderness and its bustling inhabitants. But research by two master\u2019s students from Utrecht University is about to change that for good. Incorporating green, living elements into renovation projects is not just a visual upgrade for our urban jungles;\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0truly a giant leap for local fauna, especially for\u00a0these\u00a0tiny, six-legged critters; the arthropods. Dive into the busy, green world of these extraordinary inhabitants with us.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green Walls: a haven for earth\u2019s tiniests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

University\u00a0of Utrecht took a close look at 9 of our green walls, and the results were nothing short of amazing. Over 2000 arthropods were found on our green walls in just 10 days. For comparison, five ivy-covered walls were examined in the same study, finding\u00a0nearly 500\u00a0arthropods in the same\u00a0timeframe. Thanks to the vast diversity of plant species in our\u00a0living\u00a0walls,\u00a0Sempergreen\u2019s\u00a0green walls boasted a much higher yield. A total of 125\u00a0different species\u00a0of arthropods\u00a0demonstrates\u00a0how our green walls\u00a0literally breathe\u00a0life into buildings, worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mother Nature\u2019s got this<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might wonder, what role do all these critters play? Well, these little buddies are crucial to our ecosystem. They contribute to the nutrient cycle. The smallest are eaten by larger ones, which in turn serve as food for birds. And if too many little ones remain, mother nature deploys an army of parasitic wasps to tidy up. That\u2019s how she keeps life in the green walls balanced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

En route to better places<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The mites found on the mosquitoes and beetles in the walls weren\u2019t there by chance. They hitch a ride to greener pastures, supporting the theory that green walls act as natural stepping stones in urban areas for mobile arthropods. This expands the habitat of these creatures (and all the birds they attract). Above all, it is preventing the creation of \u2018nature islands\u2019 amidst urbanization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green + Blue + Green = Loads of Critters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The study also showed that the color of the surroundings has a big impact on these tiny residents. Grey concrete? Not so popular. <\/a>Green and blue? A paradise for arthropods! This highlights the importance of green and water-rich areas in the city. The more greenery around, the stronger the impact of green walls on the diversity and numbers of arthropods. Moreover, Sempergreen\u2019s living walls contribute to CO2 absorption; you can read about how that works and its effects here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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