The practical challenges of living wall implementations in Australia

Abstract

Living Walls (LWs) have become increasingly popular in urban environments for their aesthetic and environmental benefits. These systems offer promising solutions to mitigate climate change impacts in densely built areas. However, despite their growing use, LWs often face criticism for being costly, complex, and prone to failure. These issues frequently undermine their effectiveness and financial viability, highlighting the need for careful design and consistent maintenance. This study investigates the construction sector’s perceptions of LW systems and the challenges affecting their implementation in Australia. The research follows a three-stage approach. First, an online survey with 30 industry professionals was conducted to identify key factors influencing attitudes toward LWs. Qualitative analysis of the responses revealed the top three barriers to adoption. In the second stage, interviews were conducted with representatives from four leading LW companies in Australia, providing deeper insights into industry challenges and opportunities. Finally, findings from both stages were synthesized to develop practical design recommendations for enhancing LW implementation. As the hardware systems used in Australia are commonly adopted worldwide, the findings have broad applicability, offering lessons to improve the perception and effectiveness of LWs globally.