LiveWall and LEED

8/2/2019 LiveWall and LEED

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LiveWall® and LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Page 1

Green Walls and LEED CreditsLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) is the green building rating system developed by theUnited States Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED system’s intent is to provide a standard certificationprocess that registers and quantifies buildings for design and construction methods that promote five key areas ofhuman and environmental health; sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materialsselection, and indoor environmental quality. LEED provides a roadmap for measuring and documenting successof every building type and phase of building lifecycle.

The LiveWall® System can help you achieve LEED certification in several categories. Below are the majorcategories of the USGBC rating system and potential credits that can be influenced by living walls.

Sustainable SitesStorm Water DesignIn combination with a roof-water collecting cistern, green wall systems can help to prevent excess storm waterdischarge. They also can help to filter and detoxify storm water by removing suspended solids and otherpollutants.

Potential Credits: SS 6.1, Stormwater Design,Quantity Control, 1 pointSS 6.2, Stormwater Design,

Quality Control, 1 point

Heat Island EffectLiveWall systems can reduce solar reflectance of a structure and, in so doing, significantly lower a building'stemperature and mitigate the urban heat island effect.

Potential Credits: SS 7.1, Heat Island Effect,Non-Roof, 1 point

Water EfficiencyWater-Efficient LandscapingWhen vegetated with drought resistant plants, LiveWall installations require very little irrigation. Harvested

rainwater, air-conditioning condensate, and/or foundation drain water can be used to eliminate potable water useand reduce site runoff and wastewater usage. Under no circumstances should irrigation be eliminated for theLiveWall system.

Potential Credits: WE 1, Water Efficient Landscaping,Option 1, 2 pointsOption 2, 4 pointsWE 2, Innovative Wastewater Technologies,Option 1 or 2, 2 points

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LiveWall® and LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Page 2

Energy and AtmosphereOptimize Energy PerformanceLiveWall systems offer substantial energy saving benefits. The precise benefits will vary with climate. Forexample, in the northern temperate zone the savings of energy expended on air conditioning is expected to rangefrom 25 to 50 percent. In warmer climates, the energy savings period will last for a longer percentage of the year.In either case, the exact savings will be based on the site, exposure, atmospheric conditions, foliar

coverage/density, percentage of wall greened, and moisture content of the LiveWall soil.

Potential Credits: EA 1, Optimize Energy Performance,Option 1, 2 or 3, 1 to 19 points

Materials and ResourcesRecycled ContentLiveWall modules are composed of 100% postindustrial high impact plastic, the aluminum components containrecycled content and in many cases the LiveWall soil contains recycled materials such as compost or reclaimedmineral aggregate. By using recycled and reclaimed components, LiveWall helps to make good use of resourcesthat otherwise might go to the landfill.

Potential Credits: MR 4.1 - 4.2, Recycled Content,1 to 2 points

Regional MaterialsLiveWall modules and aluminum components are manufactured in Michigan, and LiveWall plants are grown atlocal nurseries. Contract your rep to determine which components in your wall will contribute toward this credit.

Potential Credits: MR 5.1 - 5.2, Recycled Content,1 to 2 points

Innovation in DesignLiveWall ® systems may contribute to innovation and design credits in a number of ways. LiveWall installations

always create beauty and save energy, but can also foster workplace productively, greater health and fewer sickdays, a sense of community pride, a focus on nutrition and preservation of the natural world, and increasedpositive social interaction. LiveWall can also bring the benefits of quicker healing to patients who benefit frominteracting with nature, and the ability for disabled individuals to participate in gardening when provided with theLiveScreen Access system. LiveWalls may be integrated with patios, decks and outdoor kitchens, and may beused to grow herbs and vegetables, farm honeybees, reduce exterior sound, sequester carbon, and to increasethe overall “green” footprint of the neighborhood.

Other innovation can include Wildlife Friendly Design, Plant Preservation, Restorative Use of Vegetative Waste(e.g. compost and compost tea), Non-Chemical Water Treatment and the buffering of acid rain.Innovation can also take into account that LiveWall plants may be grown using Integrated Pest Management andin some cases Natural Predator Pest Management and organic growing methods. Likewise, once installed,LiveWall may be maintained using Organic Landscape Management, Biological Controls, or Integrated Pest

Management (IPM). The sky is the limit when it comes to innovation with LiveWall.

Financial SavingsThe LiveWall system can help to save on utility costs which can be applied to other sustainable building methodsin other areas of the project.

Regional Priority CreditsDepending on geographic region, additional points may be available for including a planted living wall.