Greenery Should Not Be an Afterthought

Greenery does not solely provide an aesthetic value but has a multitude of positive benefits. In urban environments, the presence of greenery can have a positive impact on our mental and physical health. Moreover, increasing greenery in our urban spaces will simultaneously contribute to biodiversity net gain and net zero emissions targets.

The recent publications of the ‘Building Better, Building Beautiful’ Commission have sought to advise the government on how to promote and increase the use of high-quality design. The Living with Beauty report similarly highlights that ‘green is good for us’.

 

The Living with Beauty report sets out recommendations for re-greening our cities. However, there is a danger that ‘token’ greenery will lead to ‘greenwashing’. Greenery cannot offset a poorly designed development. Greenery should not be an afterthought.

One way to introduce greenery with an effective purpose, is through green walls and roofs.

Green walls are one innovative solution which combine the best of engineering acumen to provide structural integrity alongside eco-friendly planting options that can be as diverse as imagination allows. Recently, as part of our ongoing in-house CPD programme, the EP team were given an insight into Mobilane’s green wall products, to help us understand how we could incorporate these solutions into our clients’ schemes.

Notably, Mobilane have been involved in a scheme to improve roadside air quality with schools called ‘Green my School’. The scheme has included the use of ivy green screens separating playgrounds from roads. The screens have potential to remove up to 60% of particle pollution. As such, the Green Screens offer not only a secure and natural screening barrier for schools’ perimeters, but a valuable screening option to reduce the harsh effects of urban pollution from our schools and communities.

We support schemes such as this and hope that in time these continue to expand across the country. We are looking forwards to being able to utilise their products for our clients – bringing benefits to them, the environment and society.

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At ethical partnership, our business is focused around our values.  In everything that we do, we seek to protect and conserve the natural environment and finite resources of the planet and reflect this in the way we advise our clients, design schemes and select our partners.  

We offer a comprehensive range of ecology and landscape services to both public and private sector clients to enable them to design developments and other schemes that are sensitive to the needs of wildlife, landscape and habitats. We help our clients protect and conserve local and global environmental resources, have been successful in securing standard and bespoke environmental permits and have an excellent working relationship with the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency

Contact us for information and find us on LinkedIn.

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