North America’s largest green wall is adding to energy efficiency for PNC Financial Services Group Inc., which unveiled the giant soil-based wall at its Pittsburg, Pa., offices.
The 2,380 square foot wall, about the size of a doubles tennis court, has 602 panels with about 24 plants in each two-foot by two-foot space. Each of the panels is estimated to offset the carbon footprint of one person, according to a press release.
Ambient temperatures behind the south-facing wall should be about 25 percent cooler, according to preliminary studies. The plants on the wall also help cool adjacent sidewalks and help absorb noise from the street.
When fully watered, the wall will weigh about 24 tons. It should require about 15 minutes of watering, once a week.
The green wall is at One PNC Plaza at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Wood Street in downtown Pittsburgh.