Technical Specifications

Sustainable Quality starts with a set of Standards for Systems and Controls that care for each aspect of plant needs. These Standards are consistently improved with each installed project.

When contracted to design and build a greenwall for our clients, AgroSci’s process requires communication and cooperation with the Design Team, the Construction Group, Facilities Ownership and Facilities Management. Setting expectations and thoroughly explaining needs for the greenwall up front, saves time and money by the end of the project. After installation AgroSci works with the Facilities Management, so engineering understands system operations and what is necessary for management, or if they need to contact an AgroSci technician. AgroSci offers plant care service programs for all installations either with an in-house team or a contracted third party.

Plants

AgroSci’s horticultural educational and expertise allow the Design Team to provide a list of suitable plants for aesthetics and sustainability for greenwalls. With over a decade of Design/Build experience for greenwalls across the US and other countries, proper plant selection is critical in maintaining a healthy greenwall. Not all plants do well vertically, not all designs are compatible with all plant species. Experience and expertise help make the right selections. Fertilization and pest control applications are NOT a regular practice – in many cases fertilizer should be used only if plants show deficiencies or fertilizer use can result in excess growth, elongation and create plant dependency on supplemental nutrition. Pest Management should only be done when a problem exists and not a regular application. In all cases, proper pest identification and controls listed for use on the pests is the professional way to manage issue as they arise.

Custom Soil Mixes

AgroSci uses soil-based technologies to promote sustainability and longevity with the selected plant species and maintenance needs. Engineered soil mixes using lightweight professional mixes combined with porous ceramics creates a long lasting soil mix with a proper balance between water/air and soil ratios. This mix results in the soils ability to hold and drain water and provide a stable root zone environment to secure the roots and plants in their containers.

Irrigation

Water Management for all AgroSci greenwalls is critical at a number of levels – AgroSci provides systems that regulate to a plants needs based on location, species and environment – whether interior or exterior. As over watering and underwatering are two of the main practices leading to plant decline, pest and disease issues and overall stress, Water Management is a key part of planning and integration for a system. This leans heavily into the engineered soil mix to promote plant sustainability.

Lighting

All AgroSci interior greenwalls include specification for supplemental lighting. No matter the level of “natural” light the plants are exposed to, low or lack of proper light intensity (foot candles), wavelength and coverage/distribution across the greenwall will negatively impact the plant health and vigor. In most cases AgroSci will provide the light specification to the general contractor for their lighting vendor to source and install. AgroSci can also provide the light fixtures if requested.

Control Systems

Using state of the art control systems for managing irrigation needs and lighting cycles and duration keep plants vigorous and reduce service needs. Exterior control systems can manage the local weather conditions, knowing when to water less if rain is forecasted and send alarms when excessive heat occurs, notifying AgroSci technicians that an additional water cycle may need to run. Using advanced remote technologies allow monitoring from anywhere, anytime.

Aesthetic Design

Delivering a “mature” greenwall upon install is key for client satisfaction and the “Wow” factor when viewed. No client AgroSci has worked with wants to “wait until it grows” to see results. Partnering with a network of growers across the US enables AgroSci to coordinate bench time for plant grow out. This allows us to split the plants adaption period into two steps, resulting in a fuller, healthier, and more eye-catching feature. Stage one allows the plants to get used to their new pots and establish a healthy root system, step two takes place after installation, where plants will enter an adaption period of reorienting themselves to the new lightsource. This two-step process greatly reduces the plants adaption to the installed location.

Structural Design

AgroSci is a Design/Build greenwall company, offering custom designed systems, from the structure used to affixed to the building façade, to the design and installation of containers and features on the greenwall. AgroSci asks the designer what they are looking for and designs and builds a sustainable system in line with that vision, not just providing a catalog of inflexible options to meet the supplier needs while sacrificing design.

Wall Structure

Proper integration between the greenwall and the architectural structure requires knowledge of the building structure and the methods of anchoring required for the type of wall construction. This may require a PE Stamp (professional engineer) with recommendations for the anchoring system to be used. Many exterior facades have layered construction based on the finish layer – stucco, stone, brick, steel, wood, cement board, all have varied construction systems. Working with the General Contractor and a PE assures the proper anchoring for a safe and secure integration with the façade.