Not such a nuisance: Ivy walls can slash heating bills

TO many homeowners, ivy is viewed as a damaging nuisance.

But it turns out that a house covered in the creepers could slash heating bills by as much as 30 per cent.

A study has found that so-called ‘living walls’ which are overlaid with plants can improve insulation. Researchers covered a west-facing section of a campus building with a living wall – comprising a flexible felt system with pockets for soil and plants. Another section of the wall was left plain.

After five weeks, they found that the living wall lost 31.4 per cent less heat than the unchanged wall. The plant-covered wall also needed less energy to heat it, as daytime temperatures remained more stable. The Plymouth University study has been described as ‘game-changing’ for the UK as heating buildings accounts for 17 per cent of the greenhouse gas produced here.

The Government is under pressure to cut greenhouse gas emissions to prevent global warming.

Report author Dr Thomas Murphy told journal Building and Environment: ‘With an expanding urban population, “green infrastructure” is a potential nature-based solution which provides an opportunity to tackle climate change, air pollution and biodiversity loss, while facilitating low-carbon economic growth.’

Horticultural experts warn, however, that homeowners should be cautious having ivy on walls as it can work its way into cracks and pointing to cause structural damage.