Library & QMU - Living Walls
Location: Library Building, Main Entrance & QMU Bin Store.
Zone: 4 (Library) and 3 (QMU)
Project Overview:
In the summer of 2022, as part of the Sustainability Budget of 2021-22, the Capital Plan Steering Group signed off approval on fees to develop various initiatives and studies with the aim of improving aspects of sustainability. A Sustainability Working Group was established to inform and test thinking around this project. Key strategic benefits for this project included reducing carbon emissions and improving general health & wellbeing.
This project specifically targeted the health & wellbeing benefits which can be achieved through carefully designed enhancements to our existing built spaces (internal and external) using biophilic design principles.
Biophilic design in the built environment helps people connect to the natural environment and is argued to improve health & wellbeing of building users at both a building and city-scale level. The use of direct nature, indirect nature, and space & place conditions can bring the following benefits:
- Reduced stress (lower stress hormones, lowered blood pressure and heart rate)
- Enhanced cognitive performance (creativity, concentration, clarity of thought)
- Improved mindfulness (emotion, mood, comfort)
As part of the University drive towards a more sustainable ethos and considering the above-mentioned benefits of biophilic design. 'Living Walls' were created in high-traffic / prominent areas within the Gilmorehill Campus at the Library in the main entrance Internal living wall installation and at the QMU external bin store - External ivy screen.
Project Benefits
- Improved staff & student experience through enhancing internal and external public realm spaces.
- Improved environment - the QMU binstore area (an important pedestrian route through campus) is currently dominated by hard landscaping materials. Adding ivy cladding here will soften the space visually and help conceal the bins.
Construction Start Date: August 2023
Construction End Date: December 2024
Project Costs: £220,000
Themes Addressed by Project:
Sustainability, Space, Staff & Student Experience
Project Team:
Project Manager: Nick Crawford
Clerk of Works: David Welsh & Nicola Redman
Lead Advisor: Atkins Realis
Contractor: Morris & Spottiswood
