MULTI-STOREY car parks are rarely beautiful but the National Grid’s in Warwick is the exception.
A wall of the three storey car park at the energy giant’s national headquarters on Warwick Technology Park is covered in greenary.
Twenty-five species of plants bloom all year round provide not only a constantly-changing view for staff and visitors, but also improving the surrounding atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide and filtering out pollutants from rain water.
The so-called ‘wonder wall’ features 97,000 individual plants covering 1,042 square meters making it the largest living wall in Europe.
Planning for the wall began in Autumn 2014 with an aim to continue the National Grid’s sustainability work at their head office.
The plants were specifically chosen to grow in a woven pattern which also helps encourage wildlife – from providing a nesting site for birds to a source of nectar from wild strawberries for National Grid’s on-site colony of bees.
But cleverly wasps are being kept away by the inclusion of the plant Mentha – a variety of mint, which acts a deterrent to them.
National Grid spokesman Simon Carter said: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved for National Grid and for our home town of Warwick.”
