Plant Pixel: A Low-Carbon, Cost-Effective Living Wall System

Cities worldwide are increasingly experiencing heat stress due to climate change and urbanisation. While modular living wall systems offer a promising climate adaptation strategy, their widespread application is constrained by high embodied carbon, high costs, limited circularity, and short material lifespans. My research introduces the Plant Pixel, a modular living wall system designed using circular economy and bio-inspired principles. Through a Research Through Design approach, the Plant Pixel was designed and evaluated under real-world conditions. The results demonstrate that the Plant Pixel lowers ambient air temperatures during heatwaves, reduces surface temperatures, improves water retention, incorporates low-embodied-carbon materials, simplifies assembly and disassembly, and achieves high plant survival. Together, these findings demonstrate the technical feasibility of the Plant Pixel while providing a scalable framework for climate-responsive, circular, and low-carbon building envelopes.