5 Reasons Why Urbanstrong's Hydroponic Living Wall is Ideal for Healthcare Facilities
Healthcare facilities can be high-stress environments for patients, visitors, and staff alike. The perfect prescription to combat the stress? Plants. The physical and mental health benefits of plants in healthcare facilities are irrefutable - they reduce stress, increase productivity, and improve patient outcomes.
Clinical Mind (Hoboken, NJ)
Despite these proven benefits, the reception for hydroponic living green wall systems in healthcare institutions can still be one of apprehension. The primary driver for the apprehension is concern for Legionella promotion, a bacteria that can be found in freshwater and spread through water vapor. Common sources of infection include showerheads and sink faucets, cooling towers, hot tubs, decorative fountains and water features, hot water tanks and heaters, and large, complex plumbing systems.
Why Urbanstrong’s Hydroponic Living Wall System
Compared to more traditional open air water features as mentioned above, Urbanstrong’s modular hydroponic living wall system defends against Legionella. Here are five reasons that explain how Urbanstrong’s modular hydroponic living wall system does not promote the growth and spreading of Legionella, making it the ideal living wall solution for healthcare facilities.
1. System material is inert
The living plant wall system is inert, meaning the system is comprised of inorganic materials that will not break down or decay over time. Also, in the slim chance that a bactericide treatment is necessary, the fertigation system makes it possible to treat routinely and all in one irrigation cycle.
2. No direct contact with water, ever
The irrigation conduits are contained within the plastic panel behind the several layers of proprietary material and finished with a foam that remains dry even during irrigation. No water travels on the face of the product so there is no contact with water when the irrigation system is in operation.
3. No promotion of ideal environment for bacteria to grow
The Urbanstrong hydroponic living wall system does not promote an ideal environment for Legionella growth. The living wall is programmed to water very infrequently and is timed to dry between watering cycles. The irrigation mechanisms used to water the living wall deliver a pulse of water through the system for about 4 minutes, 2 times per day. The rest of the time, the system remains off and dries between cycles. While water coolers, fountains, hot tubs, and showers store water, this specific hydroponic living wall system does not accommodate standing water.
Furthermore, especially for healthcare facilities, rather than employing a recirculating approach, our living wall design team encourages a direct to drain operation if possible in order to discard any excess water.
Finally, the growing medium used in these particular living plant wall systems is porous, allowing for oxygen exchange over the roots of the plants which does not provide ideal conditions for bacteria or fungus to grow because it is never overly damp / wet.
4. System drip irrigation not conducive to aerosolize water
After Legionella grows and multiplies in a body of water, water containing the bacteria can spread in droplets small enough for people to breathe in. The risk of inhaling the bacteria through water droplets is mitigated with Urbanstrong’s living plant wall system due to the fact that the system’s drip irrigation is not conducive to aerosolize water in the first place.
5. System connects to potable water source
Urbanstrong’s hydroponic living plant wall system would be connected to the healthcare facility’s cold water supply from a potable source. This means that the system would be using the same water used for consumption (which is chlorinated / treated). There would be a chlorine filter installed to protect the plants but additional mechanisms like a UV sterilizer could be put in place to help prevent bacterial growth if required.
Kathleen Kilgour Centre (New Zealand)
Conclusion
The team here at Urbanstrong recognizes the rigorous design standards set in place for healthcare facilities, which is why our materials have been tried and tested to cooperate with the most demanding sterile standards. Our thoughtful material selection allows for our systems to provide natural intervention for any healthcare design.
Urbanstrong is here to work with you to help determine the best solution based on the client’s goal and budget. If your project is considering a living wall, drop us a line!
