Green Facade & Green Roof Reduce Heat Stress in Hannover Show Garden
- MobiPanel green wall
- MobiRoof ECO
- Location: Garbsen, Germany
- Dealer: Meißner Gartengestaltung GmbH
Project overview
| Location | Garbsen, near Hannover, Germany |
| Project type | Reducing summer heat build-up on an exposed brick facade while increasing biodiversity in a landscaping company’s own show garden |
| Solution | MobiPanel green facade (66 m²) and MobiRoof ECO extensive green roof (146 m²) |
| Project partner | Meißner Gartengestaltung GmbH |
| Application | Vertical greening of a brick facade and extensive greening of an adjoining roof, within a public-facing show garden |
| Environmental impact |
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+ Biodiversity
– ambient Temperature
About Meißner Gartengestaltung: A Family-Run Business with Its Own Show Garden Near Hannover
Since 1981, now in its second generation, Meißner Gartengestaltung GmbH has designed, built and maintained high-quality private gardens in Garbsen and the greater Hannover region. Since 2002, the company has been a member of the Gärtner von Eden, an association of garden designers specialising in the planning, construction and maintenance of high-quality private gardens. The company’s own show gardens are a central part of how it presents itself: across more than 15,000 m², 14 individually designed themed gardens showcase its design expertise, particularly in planting design and plant use, and make the quality of its garden concepts directly tangible and visible. It was within this setting, as part of the company’s own exhibition area for clients and designers, that the reference project presented here, combining vertical facade greening and green roofing, was created.
The Challenge: An Overheating Brick Facade with No Ecological Value
Before the project, the brick facade in the show garden was considered plain and, in summer, noticeably increased the temperature of the surrounding seating area. For Cornelia König of Meißner Gartengestaltung, this was the starting point for a redesign:
“The aim was to give the rather plain and far-too-hot brick wall a design upgrade, while also creating ecological added value.”
The brief was deliberately broad: the new facade needed to improve the microclimate and comfort of the space, provide additional habitat for insects, and demonstrate to clients and landscape architects visiting the show garden, that a sustainable green facade could work convincingly even on a limited footprint.
The Solution: A Modular MobiPanel Green Facade System
Meißner Gartengestaltung chose Mobilane’s MobiPanel modular green facade system for 66 m² of wall area, combined with 146 m² of MobiRoof ECO extensive green roofing on the adjoining roof surface. According to König, the decision was driven by:
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- the modular construction, which allowed the system to be fitted to the existing wall without structural alterations
- high-quality manufacturing and straightforward installation
- the ability to hand-plant the pre-installed cassettes directly on site, allowing full control over the planting design
- comparatively low water consumption versus similar green wall systems
- a durable construction suited to long-term, permanent use as part of the garden’s overall concept
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Demonstrated Impact: Low Water Use and Rapid Plant Establishment
Water efficiency was a deciding factor before the system was even chosen. Compared with similar green wall systems, MobiPanel is considered low in water consumption, a property that directly informed the decision:
“A low water consumption not only reduces operating costs, but also improves the sustainability of the whole installation.” – Cornelia König, Meißner Gartengestaltung GmbH
Within the first growing season, the MobiPanel facade closed into a dense, flowering cover of lady’s mantle and bellflowers, while ongoing maintenance was limited to regular checks of the irrigation system and occasional plant care. Meißner Gartengestaltung reports this maintenance load as manageable and predictable compared with other greening systems it has worked with.
Five Measurable Results of the MobiPanel Green Facade
1. A cooler, more comfortable outdoor space
The green facade replaced a heat-radiating brick wall with a living surface, measurably improving the microclimate of the adjoining seating area and making the show garden more comfortable to use in summer.
2. Rapid establishment in a single season
The MobiPanel cassettes, hand-planted directly on site, developed into a dense, cohesive green wall within the first vegetation period, a result Meißner Gartengestaltung describes as exceeding expectations for a first-year installation.
3. A measurable increase in biodiversity
“Especially during flowering periods, we observe noticeably more wild bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. Various bird species also use the greenery as a breeding and resting area.” – Cornelia König, Meißner Gartengestaltung GmbH
4. Low water consumption and predictable running costs
MobiPanel’s comparatively low water requirement, combined with a manageable maintenance routine, has kept operating costs and resource use lower than the company anticipated for a vertical greening system of this size.
5. A talking point that supports new business
Visitors and clients to the show garden regularly comment positively on the facade, and it has become a recurring topic of conversation, reinforcing Meißner Gartengestaltung’s strategic goal of adding facade greening to its own service portfolio.
Key Results at a Glance
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- 66 m² MobiPanel green facade combined with 146 m² MobiRoof ECO extensive green roof
- Dense, closed plant cover achieved within the first growing season
- Noticeably more wild bees, bumblebees, butterflies and birds observed since installation
- Comparatively low water consumption versus similar green wall systems
- Manageable, predictable maintenance requirement
- Installed and hand-planted directly by Meißner Gartengestaltung, without structural changes to the existing wall
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Why MobiPanel Is an Effective Green Facade System
This project illustrates a pattern seen across MobiPanel installations more broadly: a modular cassette system that can be fitted to an existing wall, hand-planted for a bespoke design, and combined with a comparatively low water demand, making it a practical option for heat-affected facades on both private and commercial buildings. The same characteristics (modularity, manageable maintenance, and measurable biodiversity gains) apply equally to schools, business premises and residential courtyards seeking to combine facade greening with a green roof for a connected, ecologically effective system on a limited footprint.
Technical Documentation and BIM Downloads for MobiPanel & MobiRoof ECO
Architects and specifiers can download the factsheet, installation guide and BIM model for MobiPanel and MobiRoof ECO from Mobilane’s download-page.
Questions about MobiPanel or MobiRoof ECO for your project?
Get in touch using the form below to discuss whether a MobiPanel green facade or MobiRoof ECO green roof is suitable for your building.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compared with similar green wall systems, the MobiPanel system used here is considered low in water consumption. A low water requirement reduces operating costs and improves the sustainability of the whole installation — an increasingly important factor given more frequent dry periods.
Ongoing maintenance is considered manageable: regular checks of the irrigation system and occasional plant care are sufficient. Within the first growing season, the planting establishes itself clearly and forms a dense, closed cover.
Especially during flowering periods, noticeably more wild bees, bumblebees and butterflies can be observed. Various bird species also use the greenery as a breeding and resting area, allowing a self-sustaining micro-ecosystem to develop over time.
A vertical green facade can establish itself clearly within the first growing season, forming a dense, living overall picture. With each further growing season, the wall gains additional presence and looks increasingly natural.
Brick and other solid facades often heat up uncomfortably in summer. A vertical green facade improves such surfaces visually while also improving the microclimate of the adjoining outdoor area.
