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Food store benefits from green wall technology

Food store benefits from green wall technology


BD+C Staff | April 10, 2013

 

GSky Plant Systems, Inc., a leading provider of vertical Green Walls in North America and now the Middle East has teamed up with Whole Foods Market for the third time to complete the installation of 244 square foot Versa Wall to complement the southern charm of Charlotte, North Carolina. Adding to the growing presence in North Carolina, the Ashley Park region is home to the first Whole Foods Market in Charlotte, along with several sister locations including in Asheville, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh and Winston-Salem.

Whole Foods Market is the world's leader in natural and organic foods, offering the highest quality and freshest products. The retailer subscribes to a planet-friendly mandate, proving to be a socially responsible company committed to sustainable agriculture and environmental practices.

The Green Wall is symbolic of Whole Foods Market’s green initiatives. It is a bold, environmentally conscious statement that is immediately understood as soon as you come in contact with the store. The flowing curves shaped by the plants run smoothly across the Green Wall, creating a naturally gravitating feature that sets the welcoming tone for the store.

The original intent for the project requested was to use plants indigenous to the area for local flavor. Debbie Kotalic, Director of Horticultural Design for GSky worked around a plant palette of interior tropical foliage that is sustainable for an interior project, while taking her inspiration from the rolling mountain ranges to enhance and address the local flavor that was desired. Debbie explains, “when you enter the store, it appears as if rolling hills are welcoming and drawing you up to the escalator. By using plant materials that have different textures and heights add a lot of depth and dimension to the project, which creates more interests.”

GSky Versa Wall has a recirculating irrigation system that is 100% water efficient and self-contained, making the system suitable for any interior wall without the worry of spillage. The Versa Wall is naturally beautiful, eco-friendly, customizable, durable and economical—offering flexible installation options and a variety of plant selections.

The Green Wall is a perfect way to introduce Whole Foods Market to the community; it rolls out the welcome wagon for customers, while capturing the essence of Charlotte and all of its southern elegance. Similar GSky Green Walls can be seen at Whole Foods Market’s headquarters in Austin, Texas as well as in Vancouver, British Columbia.

About GSky Plant Systems, Inc.

Founded in 2004, GSky Plant Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of vertical Green Walls in North America and the Middle East. The business was founded based on the explosive growth of green technology, including Green Wall and Roof Systems in Asia. GSky currently offers three Green Wall Systems, the Pro Wall, Versa Wall and the Basic Wall. Each system is unique in terms of design flexibility, installation location versatility, plant selection variety, desired size, cost, coverage time-line, and system components. GSky also offers a suite of services including maintenance, remote monitoring, and consulting as full-service contracts or à la carte. GSky strives to make plant systems more accessible and functional in urban environments while having a net positive impact on the environment. For more information http://www.gsky.com

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