Moss Walls vs. Living Walls: What’s the Best Choice for Your Needs and Desires, REVISED & UPDATED (Spring 2024)
There is more than one way to bring nature (as a biophilic design element) into your home or workplace so we’ll break down the difference between moss walls and living plant walls and help you determine which is best for your needs and desires.
We will also give you the skinny on these brilliant biophilic design options that provide attention restoration and other wellness benefits including noise and reduced VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the air.
The first “edition” of this article (in 2017) addressed that green walls are appearing more and more frequently in the workplace, public spaces, and residential spaces, but a lot has changed in a few years and we are thrilled to share that biophilic design is now a design standard.
As Tim Nelson notes in an article for Architectural Digest titled, “The 6 Big Ideas Interior Designers Need to Know in 2023, According to ASID (American Society of Interior Designers)”:
“Though aesthetic choices remain important, there’s a greater need now more than ever to consider how an environment impacts the people who use a space.
In 2023, that will translate to an increased value on spaces designed to alleviate stress and promote an overall sense of wellness.
That’s especially true in the workplace, as employers still have to sell their employees on the value of physically showing up to the office.”
There are many ways to incorporate biophilic design concepts into your home, workspace, or both and they all have benefits but a connection with nature itself remains at the top of the list in terms of overall benefits–not only to those who inhabit the space but on the project bottom line as well.
“The prevalent approach to sustainability [in architecture and design] is still missing a key ingredient: nature itself.
By ignoring the human need to connect with nature and place, low-impact designs are often experientially and aesthetically deficient,”
Enter biomimicry, biophilia, and biophilic design.
Yes, biomorphic patterns and forms are wonderful and they evoke nature and complement biophilia and other green elements such as moss walls and living walls. But, they do not connect us with nature itself which provides that valuable restorative effect that we need so badly to stay mentally and physically healthy in the present.
So what are the differences between moss walls and living plant walls?
Living plant walls are comprised of living plants and because of that, they do require watering (some living walls require an internal watering system that may or may not include fertilizer), fertilizing, and, of course, soil in which the plants grow.
Moss walls are comprised of dormant moss. Moss is a rootless, flowerless, non-vascular plant that frequently goes dormant in its natural habitat for various reasons. It “resurrects” when the growing conditions are ideal. That’s why we use the term dormant intentionally as the moss we use at The Fat Plant Society is American-grown and harvested and has been rendered dormant using paraffin, glycerin, and vegetal dye to ensure it remains colorfast for many years to come.
So what are the differences between moss walls and living plant walls?
Living plant walls are comprised of living plants and because of that, they do require watering (some living walls require an internal watering system that may or may not include fertilizer), fertilizing, and, of course, soil in which the plants grow.
The Fat Plant Society moss walls are comprised of dormant moss. We use the term dormant intentionally as the moss we use at The Fat Plant Society is American-grown and harvested and has been rendered dormant using paraffin, glycerin, and vegetal dye to ensure it remains colorfast for 7 to 10 years, likely longer. We have also developed a “revive” product to restore moss that fades due to over-exposure to light, cold or lack of humidity. These problems are rare but should a client experience fading in moss color, we have an easy solution.
Both types of green walls are wonderful means through which to introduce nature into a workspace, residential space, co-working or event space, or spa/healthcare space. When we compare interior design practices with the first edition of this article (back in 2017) to today, we note that nature has become a “given” for many interior designers.
In fact, when Fast Company asked five of the world’s top designers to imagine the workplace of the future, mentions of nature, the climate, climate change, and our relationship to the natural world were mentioned by every respondent.
Living Architecture Monitor similarly addressed the need for nature in their piece titled, “Cooped Up Indoors? There’s A Reason You Don’t Feel Well.” The title does say it all but what you’ll find when you dive in is that biophilic design is being embraced by hospitals, senior living centers, spas, and rehabilitation facilities.
“A recent study by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published in the journal Environment International, supported that claim, concluding that biophilic interiors helped inhabitants recover from stress and reduce anxiety more quickly than interiors without natural elements, and documented a notable reduction in blood pressure.”
Thus, the need for the attention restoration that real nature provides. We have seen, in recent years and even more so throughout the global pandemic that many of us are looking to greenery and nature as a counter-balance to technology, to heal our minds, and to provide a sense of well-being. In fact, we can quantify both the most impactful elements on productivity along with the impact of productivity on the business bottom line. For that, we turn to Kelai Diebel’s article for Makers of Sustainable Places titled 3 Main Ways Biophilia Revolutionizes Business. You will find data. links and visuals that explain the positive effect of biophilia on the business bottom line.
What’s a Living Wall and What Kind of Maintenance Does it Need?
So here’s the deal–living walls, often referred to as green walls, are comprised of real, living plants that require soil or substrate and water often provided through an integrated water delivery system. Living walls are stunningly gorgeous and there are now more companies offering living walls and living wall systems than there have ever been heretofore.
One thing to keep in mind as you examine this option is weight and Growing Green Guide out of Australia provides a great table of information on the weight of various plants for rooftops as well as vertical living walls. Based on the research we have conducted on the companies that provide living walls, the average weight of a living wall is 10 to 12 lbs. per square foot and you can check out LiveWall’s site for additional FAQs on their specific system functions and benefits.
We really dig (get it, dig) the walls that LiveWall (Missouri and Michigan) provides the Midwest region and we recommend them for large installations. We have also been keeping our eye on Urban Strong. The photo below is the living wall that Urban Strong created for Rutgers College (see caption) and they’ve got a killer article on how living walls can make you smarter, along with making you feel better and happier in public and workspaces.
Green Plants for Green Buildings (a nonprofit) has sprouted in the state of Colorado. Their purpose is to communicate “the aesthetic, well-being, and economic benefits of nature in the built environment.” They believe,
“Biophilia is the instinctive bond between human beings and other living organisms and living systems. Research suggests that buildings that contain features of preferred natural environments will be more supportive of human well-being and performance than those that do not contain these features.”
We’d go one step further and confirm that research, in recent years, has proven the inclusion of biophilic elements and biophilia has a real and measurable impact on human well-being. We refer you to our article on the impact of biophilic design in Senior Living Communities for the recent research and links.
Naava, out of Finland, entered the living wall market in the United States back in 2017 and they provide a nice definition of green walls on their site along with useful information about the benefits of green walls. We love their tagline, “RECONNECTING HUMANITY WITH NATURE.” Each word is so intentional and so important.
One of our favorite living walls (and one of the first of its scale) is in Canada at the University of Ottawa. The living wall in the Faculty of Social Science building is the tallest living biofilter in North America. The green wall is one example of the University’s sustainability projects.
You may have noted other references to Canadian companies in previous blog posts. I grew up in Ontario, Canada and we’re thrilled to announce that we are completed a custom moss installation for the Form Condos, a Tridel Building in downtown Toronto, next to OCAD. This project and collaboration came to us through Jamie Miller of Biomimicry Frontiers in Guelph, Ontario. We have also shipped a moss wall in panels for Tersano, Green cleaning supplies out of Windsor, Ontario. They wanted to save on shipping and weight (reduce that carbon footprint) so we shipped just the moss panels and the team at Tersano built the frame around it on their end.
As you would expect, living walls require water and attention which is why folks still look at us incredulously when we tell them our moss walls are essentially maintenance-free.
However, if you have a green thumb and want to create your own living plant wall indoors, we refer you to Fantastic Services and their article titled, “How Do You Build an Indoor Living Wall.” The article is a step-by-step guide with plant recommendations, tools you will need, and maintenance tips.
What is a Moss Wall and What Kind of Maintenance Does it Need?
A moss wall, interestingly, is also called a green wall which is where the confusion can begin between the two. We construct our green walls aka moss walls with real, but dormant moss that does not require any dirt, soil, or substrate and does not require any watering or misting of any kind.
We explain it like this: a moss wall is neither living nor dead, it is made of moss that is dormant, having been rendered dormant using a natural paraffin or glycerin process.
Moss walls retain their lush look with zero maintenance (except for the occasional dusting using compressed air just as you would use on a computer keyboard) for at least ten years and we’re testing a natural spray that will extend the life of a moss wall indefinitely.
The Fat Plant Society moss is harvested in North Carolina and Kentucky and when it arrives, it smells just like standing in the middle of a forest. The moss has acorns and other treasures from its birthplace and we clean the moss before laying it out in our design studio. From there we use the moss just like a painter would use paint to achieve the colors, textures, and depth of each, handmade panel or piece.
We use a few different kinds of moss to achieve the desired look and the moss we use depends on what the client is seeking in terms of the “feel” of their moss wall or frame. The photo to the left is pillow moss and at times, we use sheet moss as a base (to enhance soundproofing and noise reduction) and even layer the different types on top of each other or next to each other so as to provide the most biophilic look possible.
Our designs tend toward the natural and we like our designs to utilize clean lines and adhere to nature itself as much as possible so as to be timeless architectural elements.
Sheet moss was one of the more commonly used mosses in the early days of moss walls because, well, it literally grows in sheets. But reindeer moss and pillow moss are our preferred mosses because they contain such depth of color and nuanced shades of green.
Pillow moss is replete with soft yellow hairs and varying shades of green as you can see in the photo below but changes, depending on the time of day and the light source as evidenced in the photo above.
Contrast that look with the bright green of our reindeer moss with a pin-mounted black acrylic logo and you can imagine how exciting it is for us to select the type of moss that will bring the client’s vision to life (so to speak).
From logos to walls to groupings of circular or square frames, moss draws people in and they cannot resist touching it. The good news is, you are more than welcome to touch it as our American-grown and harvested moss (which we find is heartier and comes in larger pieces than the mosses of Europe and the U.K.) is sturdy and soft to the touch.
How are Living Walls and Moss Walls the same?
Living walls and moss walls are the same in that they are both referred to as green walls and that is accurate on both counts. They are also the same in that both provide environmental benefits such as reduction of noise pollution and air pollution (moss walls absorb VOCs) but don’t just take our word for it, there are a number of articles that support the fact that moss, though dormant, is still providing many of the same benefits that living walls provide. In fact, since moss is so porous, it absorbs VOCs extremely well and dampens sound (particularly medium to high voice frequencies) better than plants like philodendron and the infamous snake plant.
Additionally, for our North American clients for whom sustainability is at the top of the list of design goals, The Fat Plant Society moss does not require overseas shipping and our real moss does not require watering or misting making it pretty darn sustainable.
How are these types of green walls different?
Moss walls differ from living walls in that they do not need soil, watering or misting of any kind and the weight of a moss wall is less than 3 lbs per square foot in comparison to the 10–12 lbs per square foot weight of a living wall. They are also different in the sense that the living wall is literally that, living and needs care and attention on a weekly, if not daily basis. Real moss, on the other hand, requires no maintenance at all.
Last, but certainly not least, as you may have noted in the articles we have linked to in this post, moss walls run roughly 40% less in installation costs than living walls and with zero maintenance. (We do offer repair kits in the event someone pulls a chunk right off the wall).
Which one is best for your needs depends largely on how much maintenance you want to (and have the budget to) provide to keep your green wall looking lush.
Living walls run roughly $1,000 per month in maintenance depending on the size of the wall but you can expect to spend at least $3-$4K annually (at minimum) on maintenance for living plants at an impactful scale. Some living walls require an internal watering system which can give architects and contractors pause but if done well, the internal watering systems can save a great deal of time on maintenance.
Moss walls, on the other hand, are a one-time development and installation cost with little to no maintenance costs associated. For more information and specs on The Fat Plant Society moss walls and designs, we invite you to download our spec sheet that provides detail on our moss and installation process.
Both living walls and moss walls have incredible visual appeal and provide numerous health benefits and frankly, we’re in love with both but have chosen American moss as our materials of choice at The Fat Plant Society due to its sustainability (no overseas shipping needed for our North American clients).
So that’s the skinny folks. We can guarantee that bringing green into your workplace and living space has enormous benefits.
We never tire of looking at the moss and noting the changes in color as natural light and artificial light change throughout the day. We think it may have even made our stereo speakers sound better somehow but don’t ask us to definitively prove that one…
To be clear, we also love our plants. From Namibian Bottle Trees to succulents to the Virginia Creeper that grows naturally in our urban garden, green makes us relax and smile. And we now know that green equates well-being and that means biophilic design will become a matter of course.
There is more than one green option available to you and we could not be more thrilled about the “greening” of spaces from workplace rooftops to libraries to spas and dental offices to living rooms and home offices.
We are always happy to answer questions about our moss, our work, and biophilic design so please feel free to email, DM, or call to pose questions directly. We are always happy to talk and walk you through the process as well as provide you with pricing for custom walls and frames.
We have standard-size moss frames available for purchase on our site (the Skinny Panel featured below). We hand clean the moss and every frame is also made by hand so we ask for an eight to twelve-week turnaround on larger orders.
As with all living things, there is a season and we stock up on moss in the summer months so as to be able to provide moss all year round.
We’d love to learn more about the project you are planning and how we may be able to assist. We love design-build and custom projects, and building to spec is what we do.
As always, yours in the love of all things green,
Kasey & Morten/The Fat Plant Society
(To see more of our work follow us on Instagram).
