by Brianna Crandall — February 3, 2017 — In recent weeks, green wall system provider LiveWall introduced the Norb (Nutri-Orb) LED grow-light bulb the company specifically developed to support healthy plant growth indoors while saving energy and giving off a naturally attractive white appearance.
According to LiveWall, 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 in order to illuminate the wall surface evenly, and should be energy efficient to support the overall sustainability of the green wall installation. LiveWall says the new Norb LED grow-light meets all of these indoor vertical garden lighting needs.
The LiveWall team trialed different light sources of varying intensities and spectrums over a three-year period before identifying the ideal light source to support plant growth while conserving energy use.
The team 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 (light-emitting diode) lights.
The researchers 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 the team says looks unnatural and unattractive. Most LED grow-light options were also difficult to find in fixtures that would allow for lighting of a vertical surface.
LiveWall points out that 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. Oftentimes, track lighting is used, as it is contemporary, adjustable, comes with many fixture options, and is relatively inexpensive.
Norb Nutri-Orb Botanic LED grow-light by LiveWall
For this reason, LiveWall developed the Norb (Nutri-Orb) bulb, a specialized White-Light LED grow-light engineered to provide the right spectrum for growing plants. With Norb bulbs, the plants can be healthy and “look right under white.” Norb is warranted by LiveWall for three years. When running at the recommended 14 hours per day, the light is expected to last up to seven years.
For more information on lighting requirements and specifications on the Norb bulb, visit the Lighting section of LiveWall’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
