Prefabricated Concrete Plant Wall Modules for Faster Facade Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing planted facades require time-consuming and costly modifications to existing load-bearing walls, and limited substrate volumes restrict the variety of plants that can be used, excluding natural soils due to weight concerns.
Innovation Solution
A prefabricated reinforced or prestressed concrete wall module with an attachment and receiving portion that accommodates a plant growth medium, allowing for diverse plant species and integration without structural modification, featuring a duct for water drainage and a design that supports local soil use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If siding is attached to an existing load-bearing wall to create a planted facade, then the building can be greened, but it requires time-consuming technical notices and structural modifications
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the planted facade system into self-contained modular units, each comprising a panel with integrated substrate volume and plant compartments. These modules can be independently manufactured and then assembled on the building facade, eliminating the need for time-consuming structural modifications and technical notices for each planting area.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate volume and planting structures are prepared in advance during module manufacturing, before installation on the building. This preliminary preparation includes creating the substrate cavity, adding growth medium, and installing irrigation components, so that no time-consuming field modifications are needed during facade installation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If natural soil is used as substrate, then local plants can be used, but the weight exceeds structural capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a differentiated substrate system where the lower portion contains heavier natural soil for water retention and plant nutrition, while the upper portion contains lighter artificial substrate for aeration and drainage. This local variation in substrate density allows use of natural soil where needed while maintaining overall weight within structural limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention nests multiple substrate types within a single integrated substrate volume. Natural soil is placed in the lower cavity, artificial substrate is added above it, and irrigation/drainage components are embedded within the structure. This nested arrangement maximizes plant diversity while managing weight through strategic material placement.
3Weight of moving object
If small substrate volumes are used, then weight is reduced, but the variety of plants is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional surface planting to three-dimensional vertical planting by creating substrate cavities with significant depth. This vertical dimension allows accommodation of larger substrate volumes and deeper root systems, enabling use of shrubs, small trees, and other plants beyond simple ground cover, thereby increasing plant diversity without proportionally increasing horizontal footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate volume is segmented into functional zones: a lower water retention zone with natural soil, an upper aeration zone with artificial substrate, and intermediate irrigation/drainage zones. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for specific plant needs, enabling greater plant diversity within the total substrate volume constraint.
4Adaptability or versatility
If existing wall structures are modified to accommodate plants, then planted facades can be created, but structural integrity risks and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the potentially harmful modification process by removing the need to attach planting structures to the load-bearing wall. Instead, complete planting modules are manufactured separately with self-contained substrate volumes and mounting mechanisms that attach to the wall surface without penetrating or compromising the structural integrity of the existing wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a non-structural mounting system as an intermediary between the planted modules and the load-bearing wall. This mounting mechanism provides attachment functionality while isolating the structural wall from the variable loads of plants and substrate, thereby protecting structural integrity while enabling vegetation integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables time and cost-efficient installation of diverse vegetation on building facades while maintaining structural integrity, promoting biodiversity and providing insulation and water management.
Implementation Method 1
The outer wall comprises a duct allowing the discharge of waste water resulting from the watering of the vegetation planted in the volume
Implementation Method 2
plants produce our oxygen, remove pollution from our air, and make it possible to effectively combat the heat islands
Implementation Method 3
The presence of plants also contributes to lowering the ambient temperature, by virtue of the phenomenon of evapotranspiration, that is to say of heat exchange between the water rejected by the plant and the air
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a module (1) for a plant wall comprising a prefabricated outer wall (10) prefabricated of reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete, the outer wall (10) comprising an attachment portion (101) and an accommodating portion (100) extending from a lower end (101b) of the attachment portion (101) in order to define a volume (102) in which a substrate (102.1) for growing plants is arranged, the wall (10, 11) comprising a tube (103) that opens into the volume, (102) on the one hand, and to the outside of the outer wall (10), on the other hand.