No this is NOT ivy covering the walls... this is a newly designed biological concrete, as it is called, being developed at the Structural Technology Group, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, where a team led by Antonio Aguado for making vertical gardens, without the usual problems of roots penetrating the walls and weakening the structure.
Now what sets this concrete apart from normal one is that in it , the Portland Cement normally used is replaced with magnesium phosphate cement (which is normally used for repair work). This is more acidic than normal one, thus providing ideal substrate for growth of mosses, algae, lichens , etc in mediterranean climate. It can be adjusted in terms of porosity and roughness as desired
The panel consists of 3 layers- a waterproof innermost one, a middle water retentive one, and an outer layer which allows entry of water but prevents loss.This means that the panels can be used as vertical gardens without mechanical apparatus or constant maintenance.All this would help in growth of the mosses and algae etc, while preventing growth of higher plants and thus preventing root induced damage to the walls.
The purpose of the panels is mainly aesthetic, but the team also says that the growths on the panels can act as insulating material and a thermal regulator. They also say that the colonies help reduce carbon dioxide, though they don’t say by how much. Unless the colonies are amazingly heavy, it’s probably negligible.
Source : UPC via Gizmag
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