To create a green facade that is sturdy as well as beautiful, it’s essential to use a high-quality durable material for the support structure. Designing a green facade involves considering not only the weight of the plants and materials, but also loads from natural forces such as wind and rain.
At Tensile, we use Jakob Inox Line Green Solutions. Jakob products are recognised for their quality, strength and durability. They are designed for purpose, rather than being adapted from other industries, for example marine rigging.
Jakob is also a long-established company which now has over 100 years of accumulated expertise and experience on its side.
Wire rope fit for purpose
Stainless steel is considered a superior material to either plastic or wood for facades, due to its strength, weather-resistance and low-maintenance qualities.
As we mentioned, Jakob’s solutions are designed specifically for facades. Its facade wire rope is made from 316-grade stainless steel and comes in a variety of configurations, making it suitable for small single-level and large multi-storey and commercial projects.
The cables used in facades consist of multiple strands of wire, constructed into ‘rope’ configurations. Our most common facade product is 7 x 7 steel wire rope. This product is so-called as it consists of seven strands with seven wires in each strand – which provides an excellent combination of strength and flexibility. This is important as flexibility and elasticity are essential qualities in multi-story facades, due to movement and forces they are subject to.
Jakob webnet mesh may also be used for trellises and facades. It is made from 316-grade steel and can be laced into a variety of aperture openings from 20mm to 200mm. Webnet is also flexible enough to conform to any shape.
Professional engineering for your project
It’s essential that facades are accurately engineered, to ensure they allow for the weight of materials and movements. It’s also important that they are not over-engineered, which could add unnecessarily to project costs.
At Tensile we thoroughly assess every project we deal with so that a suitable solution can be arrived at in terms of materials, plantings and installation method. Get in touch with us for a discussion about incorporating a green facade into your next project.
Image source: @mcgregorwestlake
