LiveWall^® Green Walls Bring Living Architecture into Dearborn Restaurant  

People in Michigan appreciate green spaces that bring nature to them, especially in winter. When they stop into Brome Burgers & Shakes, 22062 Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, they receive a “green” welcome even on cold, grey days. The restaurant is home to an array of growing plants as well as Brome’s ethically sourced, creatively prepared, simply delicious, and reasonably priced food. The restaurant’s living architecture features two LiveWall^® green walls that enable diners to enjoy eating “outside” even on days when the weather makes Brome’s outdoor patio less than hospitable.

“Green walls, also called living walls, are structural systems that cover walls with growing plants. Attached to an existing wall or freestanding, erected indoors or outdoors, green walls transform unadorned walls into vertical gardens,” said Dave MacKenzie, president of Hortech, Inc. (Spring Lake, Mich.) and LiveWall, its eco-friendly green wall subsidiary. “They make interior spaces more appealing and relaxing and improve indoor air quality.”

“We are all about sustainability, green living, wholesome food, and self-awareness about the environmental impact of our choices,” said Sam Abbas, founder, Brome Burgers & Shakes. “The green walls took a surface that would have otherwise just been painted or wallpapered and brought it to life.”

Completed in June 2015, the Brome Burgers & Shakes green wall installation totals 309 square feet, divided in two sections each 16 feet long by 9 feet 10 inches high. In total, the green walls have 168 LiveWall modular planters, which contain inserts planted with a mix of six different tropical plants that thrive indoors.

Bell’s Landscape Services, Inc. (Wixom, Mich.), which has provided commercial and residential landscape construction and maintenance for more than 38 years, recommended, sold, installed, and maintains the LiveWall system. “We won a Gold Award for Creative Landscape – Green Initiatives from the Michigan Green Industry Association for this project,” said Mike Bell, chief executive officer.

Brome Burgers & Shakes is in a corner building that was constructed as a retail store in the mid-1900s. An adaptive re-use design developed by the Hallarsan Group (Detroit, Mich.) renovated the long vacant 3,700-square-foot space and created a modern, open, light-filled restaurant. The sustainable design preserved the cedar trusses of the original 15-foot-high ceilings. During construction, the original concrete floors were revealed and refurbished. In addition to the featured green walls, the indoor plantscaping includes a front-window planter. Its greenery is reflected in the glass top of the adjoining counter, which seats eight.

“Every decision we made about the space reflects our responsibility to the environment,” said Abbas. “We hope to inspire our customers, suppliers, competitors, and contractors to appreciate the values that inspire us and express them in the ways they live, do business, cultivate food, and enjoy it.

“Everyone’s response to our green walls has been so positive. We plan to integrate green wall systems into all our future locations.”

LiveWall, LLC is pleased to announce the introduction of the Norb® (Nutri-Orb) light bulb specifically developed to grow plants indoors while saving energy and giving off a white appearance.

Lighting for indoor living walls must be white in appearance to the human eye, while providing the proper spectrum to support plant growth. It also must be adjustable to illuminate the wall surface evenly and should be energy efficient to support overall sustainability of the green wall installation. Norb® by LiveWall meets all of these indoor vertical garden lighting needs.

Our team trialed different light sources of varying intensities and spectrums over a 3 year period before identifying the ideal light source to support plant growth while conserving energy use.

We found that, in respect to the light source (bulb), the key considerations are proper light spectrum and light intensity. Plants tend to respond to blue and red wavelengths and in proportion that is not available from incandescent or typical office-type LED lights.  We found that the LED grow lights available on the market primarily were composed of red and blue diodes and supported healthy plants.  However, they cast a purple light which looks odd, unnatural and unattractive. Most LED grow light options were also difficult to find in fixtures that would allow for lighting of a vertical surface.

Light fixtures should be adjustable, for direction, and are typically located in front of the living wall and attached to or suspended from the ceiling. On tall green walls, lights may be placed at the bottom or sides of green wall structures.  This creates light proximity to the plants and thereby provides sufficient light intensity across the entire wall surface. Often times, track lighting is used as it is contemporary, adjustable, comes with many fixture options, and is relatively inexpensive.

For this reason, LiveWall LLC developed the Norb® (Nutri-Orb) bulb, a specialized White-Light LED grow bulb that provides the right spectrum for growing plants. With Norb® bulbs, the plants can be healthy and “look right under white.”  Norb® is warranted by LiveWall, LLC for 3 years.  When running at the recommended 14 hours per day, we expect this light to last up to 7 years.

For more information on lighting requirements and specifications on the Norb® bulb, please visit the Lighting section of our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

LiveWall® Green Wall Enlivens the Atmosphere of the Sky Patio and Freshens up the Menu at Bobarino’s Restaurant

The pages of the calendar have turned to summer. It is time to get out and enjoy the outdoors, right here in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. Where exactly? Out on the Sky Patio at The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Avenue NW. Easily accessible through Bobarino’s on the second floor, the Sky Patio features a double-sided green wall that surrounds guests with greenery and provides fresh ingredients for the food they enjoy.

Enhanced Ambiance

According to Greg Gilmore, chief executive officer of the Gilmore Collection, addition of the green wall transformed the ambiance of the Sky Patio. The green wall adds natural beauty and dampens traffic sounds, making the patio more pleasant and relaxing.

“Our living wall on the Sky Patio is a vivid symbol of our commitment to sustainability and support of the local environments where our restaurants are located,” said Alice Jasper, director of sustainability, The Gilmore Collection. “It greens up the exterior and interior of the rooftop patio, contributing to the beautification of downtown and making the patio more inviting from the street below.”

Green Wall Construction

The green wall was constructed in August 2015 with the LiveWall^® system from LiveWall, LLC, the green wall subsidiary of Hortech, Inc., Spring Lake, Mich. the double-sided green wall totals 608 square feet. The three exterior sections (48 inches in height) are attached to the outside of the fencing that surrounds the patio. Facing out to the street, these sections frame the Sky Patio on three sides with flowering annuals and perennials. There are five interior sections (45.5 inches in height), three on the inside of the perimeter fence, two on the back wall of the building. In addition to flowers, the interior sections include vegetables and herbs used in the kitchen.

Local Food Sourcing

“Local sourcing of ingredients is one of our main sustainable hospitality practices,” said Barbie Smith, The Gilmore Collection’s gardener. “With the green wall at the B.O.B. and the gardens at our other restaurants, we grow ingredients right near the kitchens where your food is prepared. You cannot get much more local than that.”

“The green wall is a vertical garden with a variety of edibles. What chef wouldn’t want a garden with fresh herbs and produce right in their restaurant?” said Mick Rickerd, chef at Bobarino’s. “We utilize the herbs in all our everyday dishes and the vegetables in daily features. Our mixology team incorporates fresh basil, mint, lemongrass and thyme into special summer cocktails.”

This year, in addition to the herbs, the green wall is growing varieties of kale, Swiss chard and rainbow carrots. Call 616-356-2000 to find out what is in season. Better yet, head over to The B.O.B. to enjoy the greenery, colorful flowers, and menu items created using organically grown, sustainable produce that is so fresh it is grown right near your table.

On “Meatless Mondays,” try a vegetarian special prepared with fresh ingredients from the living wall. This summer until September 9, 2016, enjoy 2 for 1 entrées during dinner hours Monday through Thursday. The B.O.B. also offers live music on the Sky Deck every Wednesday starting at 6:00 p.m.

The Gilmore Collection Restaurants

Locally owned and operated, The Gilmore Collection provides West Michigan with a variety of high quality restaurants, nightclubs, and entertainment venues. Gilmore Collection Restaurants retain a unique bond with the communities where they are located through historic architecture, great hospitality, creative culinary expertise and locally sourced products. The Gilmore Collection has developed a reputation for delivering tremendous food, beverage, entertainment, atmosphere, and hospitality at each of its locations. The company also owns Gilmore Catering — a full-service on- and off-site catering company, and is in the process of building a 2,400-seat music venue annex of The B.O.B., which is scheduled to open early 2017. You can follow Gilmore on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. For more information, visit www.thegilmorecollection.com.

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LiveWall^® Installation Inspires Heart Health

Grand Rapids, Mich. — May 23, 2016 — When patients arrive at the Spectrum Health Medical Group Heart and Vascular Center on Bradford Street N.E. in Grand Rapids, Mich., they are welcomed by a living, thriving symbol of heart health. The Center’s green wall features a distinctive design of three heart shapes expressed in dark red foliage within a background of green plants.

For the Center’s clinical and support staff, as well as the patients, the green wall offers an unexpected extra. It was designed and installed as a freestanding, two-sided structure. The side facing the building is a vertical garden with a variety of vegetables and herbs.

“As a growing, changing emblem of healthy hearts, the heart planted wall invites patients, their families and our staff into the Center,” said Sarah Chartier, sustainability program manager, Spectrum Health. “The vertical herb and vegetable wall invites them to think about healthy eating and the sources of our food.”

Measuring 5’4” high by 20’ long, the green wall was constructed in June 2015 with the LiveWall^® system from LiveWall, LLC, the green wall subsidiary of Hortech, Inc., Spring Lake, Mich. The planted heart side faces out towards the parking area and features perennials, with Heucheras (Coral Bell) forming the three red hearts. The vertical edibles side grows a variety of vegetables (including tomatoes, green peppers, Swiss chard, kale, and leeks) and herbs (such as oregano, basil, rosemary, and mint.)

The decision to install the green wall came out of broader conversations about sustainability, local sourcing of food, and promoting healthy eating habits. Spectrum Health has two community gardens, one at its South Pavilion facility and the other at the Spectrum Health Continuing Care Center. “In the area at the entrance to the Center, there was limited space for additional landscaping,” said Bruce De Vrou, project manager, ground services, Spectrum Health Hospitals. “As a vertical landscape feature, a green wall was more practical than a garden.”

Dave MacKenzie, president of Hortech and LiveWall, assisted Spectrum Health in planning the green wall installation for the Center. MacKenzie suggested a two-sided, freestanding wall. The idea for the heart design was the inspiration of Kathleen Nickerson, R.N., charge nurse, clinical team, cardiovascular medicine, Spectrum Health Medical Group.

“In 2013, I learned from the LiveWall ArtPrize installation, ‘Back to Eden,’ that a planted wall can be an art piece,” she said. “I wanted our green wall to have a heart — a design that would convey a living, healthy heart.”

“The three-heart design takes advantage of the length of the wall,” explained MacKenzie. “The hearts are visible all year from the parking lot and sidewalk leading up to the Center, even in winter when the plants are dormant.”

“The response from everyone has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Chartier. “We have also experienced an unanticipated benefit. The area around the green wall provides a gathering place where staff from different departments meet, interact, and connect.”

“The LiveWall is bigger and better than what I thought we could achieve with an ordinary garden,” said Nickerson. “I love to go out to our garden wall. I get outside, feel the breeze, see the plants. It is a brief respite in my busy day,” said Nickerson. “And I can pick a tomato to put in my salad for lunch. There is nothing more beautiful than a sun-ripened tomato on the vine.”

Greenroofs.com selected Spectrum Health Heart and Vascular Center’s living wall for their project of the week on May 23, 2016.

About Spectrum Health
Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in West Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of 12 hospitals, ambulatory and service sites; more than 3,100 physicians and advanced practice providers, including 1,200 members of the Spectrum Health Medical Group; and Priority Health, a health plan with about 654,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer, with 23,400 employees. The organization provided $283 million in community benefit during its 2015 fiscal year. Spectrum Health is the only health system in Michigan to be named one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems^® by Truven Health Analytics for 2015.

Learn more about LiveWall.

The annual Tulip Time festival takes place each spring in Holland, Michigan, timed just as the spring-blooming bulbs open their flowers.  In its 87th year, the area boasts over 5 million tulips.  And, this year, they have even started adding the flowers to vertical surfaces!  Using the LiveScreen system, they have added hundreds more to this total in a completely new application for the festival – a living wall.

Located at the Tulip Time office on 74 West 8th Street, the vertical tulip gardens will be on the front patio through the festival.  Learn more about the festival at TulipTime.com and join the festivities from May 7-14.

The LiveWall seriously smells as good as it looks here at the #tuliptime patio!

A photo posted by Tulip Time (@tulip_time) on May 3, 2016 at 1:17pm PDT

A stunning new addition outside the Tulip Time offices this morning…a Live Wall! Watch for more details & info about this cool display! A photo posted by Tulip Time (@tulip_time) on Apr 30, 2016 at 8:35am PDT