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Living wall inside a house

GBA Editor | Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on

I am working with a project that has decided to put a living wall inside the house. The house is in a mixed hot humid climate, has the walls and roof spray-foamed, and will be providing supply-only fresh air through a duct run the the return side of the air handler. I am very concerned that the moisture levels in this house are going to be absurd and they will quickly run into some IAQ problems. They do not have any dehumidification strategy planned, aside from what will be removed by the AC in the summer. Of course they think that the living wall is the best thing since sliced bread, but I can’t really find too much info on how living walls work to be able to provide them with solid facts about why this is a bad idea and they either need to do away with the wall or add a whole-house dehumidifier.

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Replies

  1. homedesign | | #1

    Sean,
    I agree with your concern.
    One of my textbooks(Residential Energy) estimates 7 average houseplants add about 1 pint of water per day
    Another Textbook (Concepts in Thermal Comfort) Estimates even more water

    Just think what a "Living Wall" would do!

    A tight Not-So-Big Home may need a dehumidifier(spring&fall)
    even without a LIVING WALL

  2. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #2

    Whoa! Relocate that wall outdoors.

  3. mike | | #3

    amory lovins might be of some help...
    http://discovermagazine.com/2006/feb/energizer

  4. homedesign | | #4

    Mike,
    I looked at the Armory Lovin's Link.
    Can You explain your point?

    Are you suggesting that Sean attach a Tropical Hothouse Furnace to his project in a Hot/Mixed Humid Climate?

  5. homedesign | | #5

    oops Amory not Armory

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