Watermatic’s Living Wall Demonstration Area

I was recently invited by the Sustainable Water Industry Group (SWIG) http://www.sustainablewater.org.uk/ to view Watermatic Ltd’s http://www.watermaticltd.co.uk/ living wall demonstration area near Radlett, north of London. Zac Ribak, the boss at Watermatic is keen to show off his company’s ability to provide irrigation for virtually any living wall system and his demonstration area provides an excellent opportunity for people to see most of the living wall systems on the market and get a close look at the components, something that may be difficult to do when the vegetation is mature and the workings are hidden by panels or out of reach on a real project.

Can swamp forests come to town?

Sustainable urban drainage involves catching rain in a green roof or collecting it for re-use (rainwater harvesting). Then, when it reaches the ground, water is kept near the surface in a swale or pond, instead of funnelling it into underground drains before it reaches a (usually) sorry looking and often channelized urban watercourse.  Sustainable urban drainage  reduces the likelihood of localised flooding caused by sudden storms and improves water quality in streams, rivers and ultimately, the sea.