Which greening concept is best suited? Whilst the quick results make ‘wall-mounted greenery’ an attractive option, traditional ‘ground-level greenery’ scores highly for its low cost. Comparative figures help set the course early on for large-scale projects!
“No support required” (self-climb.)
Investment costs:
€10–50/m²
Maintenance costs:
€5–50 per m² per year
“With a trellis”
Investment costs:
€100–250 per m²
Maintenance costs:
€5–50 per m² per year
“Shelving systems”
Capital expenditure:
€450–1,500 per m²
Maintenance costs:
€50–150 per square metre per year
“Living walls”
Investment costs:
€450–1,500 (2,750) per m²
Maintenance costs:
€50–150 per m² per year
The following costs are listed below, but vary significantly depending on the height of the greenery and the size of the green area:
Not included are the costs for concrete or steel brackets, pergolas, maintenance walkways, safety nets for maintenance staff, plant rooms, pipework and penetrations (fire safety). All these costs can play an additional role, particularly in the case of wall-mounted green facades.
Ground-level vegetation initially requires “establishment care”, which mainly consists of regular watering. This is followed by “mature maintenance”, which continues over several years, or more precisely until the desired height or landscaping objective has been achieved. This involves watering, tying up and pruning, and, where necessary, establishing a geometric branch structure, as with fruit trellises.
Wall-mounted greenery, on the other hand, usually enters the normal maintenance cycle immediately, with 2–3 maintenance rounds per year. Watering is not necessary here due to automatic irrigation, but pruning, shaping and replacing dead plants are required.
The main factors determining the level of maintenance costs are the number of maintenance visits required, as well as the use of additional resources such as ladders, aerial work platforms, lifting platforms, road barriers, etc.
New buildings – in this case residential properties – are increasingly being designed with green spaces, making them more attractive.
Some projects are delayed or never go ahead at all because construction costs rise. Even poorly planned landscaping – in this case, presumably using a ‘shelf-style’ design – can significantly increase construction costs!
Some buildings are completed but end up without greenery because cost-cutting was necessary. In this case, an ambitious ‘shelf-style’ greening scheme had been planned; unfortunately, there wasn’t enough money, so it fell victim to budget cuts. The same goes for the cubic dormers on the roof. A non-profit housing association simply does not have sufficient financial reserves to absorb price increases. To avoid such situations, it is worth weighing up the various greening concepts at an early stage. This requires knowing the “price tags” (see above), both in terms of investment costs and annual maintenance costs.
It is important to be aware of the costs for anyone looking not just for a small trellis, but for a professional façade greening scheme – in other words, an ‘all-inclusive’ package covering plants, planting, climbing supports, installation and maintenance. The highest tier of this is the “all-inclusive package”, where the client never has to lift a finger regarding their greenery. This is a special case of particularly high quality and is primarily found at the upper end of the respective price range.
Whilst “ground-based greenery” is generally inexpensive, costs rise significantly if plants are chosen that require a support structure. An irrigation system is another major cost factor, although with “wall-mounted greenery” it is almost always included. Insulated walls, very small green roofs or particularly vigorous plants that require robust support systems can also drive up the cost per square metre. Furthermore, difficulties on site (e.g. time pressure and limited space) can significantly increase installation costs.
Greening only on the ground floor is more cost-effective, both in terms of investment and maintenance. The higher the greening, the higher the cost per square metre! And the desired appearance also plays a major role: the ‘neater’ the greening is to be – see the image gallery below – and the closer the coverage is to 100%, the more maintenance visits are required. This naturally increases the costs.
If a building generates a high annual return, it can also “afford” a green façade. It is therefore worth classifying and assessing different properties from this perspective:
Generally speaking, from a yield of 4–5%, ‘standard’ ground-level greening with climbing supports is initially quite affordable. For buildings with a yield of 7–8% or higher, the same applies to wall-mounted greening. However, if a consistently neat appearance is desired, combined with high coverage close to 100% (see below), the return should be between 8–10%, or you will need to contribute your own labour and enthusiasm. This applies equally to ground-based and wall-mounted greening!
If a green façade incurs particularly high maintenance costs – in other words, if it is at the upper end of the price scale – what can one expect from it? Well, a “neat appearance” with almost “100% coverage”. But what does that mean? The following examples are shown below, all of which were seen in May 2026 during an excursion in Vienna, Austria. These are ideal green facades that would receive a ‘A’ grade, meeting the highest standards, so to speak.
The high financial cost of maintenance can be reduced if you do some of the work yourself. For example, at a hotel like the one in the picture opposite, staff can keep the window reveals free of vegetation and trim them occasionally when there is a change of guests in the hotel room. Then there is no need for an expensive contractor to drive up from outside with a cherry picker!
Fassadengrün is a commercial supplier of stainless steel wire rope systems in Germany, Europe and overseas. Information about: Which plants are suitable, are climbing aids necessary, should they be made of wood or metal? Here at FassadenGrün you will find all the information you need from a single source.
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