This new "biowall" inside a new science building at Drexel University in Philadelphia is actually a living plant filter that's removing volatile organic compounds from the air. At 20 feet wide and 75 feet tall (rising five stories), Drexel says it's the largest vertical wall in North America.
Scientists and students are studying the wall to get a better understanding of how it filters out undesirable elements such as benzene, formaldehyde, methy-ethyl ketone and tolulene. In general, the university says biowalls save energy by recirculating cleaner air through the building and bringing in less outdoor air that requires heating or cooling.
Dr. Michael Waring of the College of Engineering says the living wall has measurable scientific benefits: "One of the really exciting things about this project," he says, "is that we can test what the wall does in a real building rather than justs presume that it works as well as it's supposed to."
Waring will test which plants have root communities that are best at purifying the air and other scientists will identify the particular microbial species that are responsible for the purification.
The biowall inside Drexel's Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building was designed and installed by NEDLAW Living Walls in collaboration with Diamond and Schmitt architects of Toronto.
photo: Drexel University
How can this be the largest vertical wall in the US? I don't understand. Sounds like a great idea for improving air quality in the inner-city though.
Posted by: canvas art | October 07, 2011 at 06:27 AM