Largest green wall in North America unveiled in Pittsburgh

In September, PNC Financial Services Group unveiled the largest green wall in North America. The 2,380 sq. ft. soil-based wall consists of 602 2 ft. by 2 ft. aluminum panels made of recycled aluminum that hold 24 plants each. Each panel offsets the carbon footprint of one person. Plants used in the wall include: ajuga, carex, euonymus, ferns, heuchera, leptinella, lysimachia and sedum. Some of the plants will be changed out during the winter and some will flower in the spring. The wall is a product of Green Living Technologies and plants were provided by Plant Connection. The vertical garden will help to cool the 30-story PNC building. Preliminary studies show temperatures behind the south-facing wall will be 25 percent cooler than ambient temperatures. Weighing 24 tons when fully saturated, plants will be irrigated with an internally controlled irrigation system. Plants will require 15 minutes of irrigation each week during warmer months and 15 minutes per month during colder months.