Is Bath going green?

Going green is great right? I know everyone goes on about going green but is going green always a good thing? Here is one example where that may not be the case.

Walking around the city you will usually notice that the walls of buildings can be quite black. Pollution from car exhausts are believed to be the root cause. Incomplete combustion blasts carbon and other waste products into the atmosphere. When it rains these particles get trapped in the water droplets and deposited on walls as a coat of black pollution.

Think dirty diesel and petrol engines travelling through Bath and you will see why Bath is trying to sort a clean air zone for traffic. That explains the black walls but what is with the green walls?

Bath Riverside by Crest Nicholson

Walking around the new Crest Nicholson estate we can see an unbelievable sight. The buildings are literally turning green. Is it mould, some sort of algae or something else?

Bath going green at Bath Riverside

The green algae appears to grow on any part of the buildings that are exposed to water. Rain is the most likely source of the water but there are also distinct areas where dogs take a pee that are also very green. What is the source of the green algae that has descended on our beautiful Bath Stone? That has yet to be discovered.

However, one thing to note is that the green areas get very slippery when wet so watch out when its raining. I have almost slipped down the steps by the living wall twice. Be careful when the steps are wet as the algae creates a thin slippery film on the smooth stone top step. Please do take care.

I have emailed the property management company to find out if they are going to do anything about the green algae. They should at least pressure wash it off for aesthetics and with a bit more effort use something to treat the brickwork so that it does not come back.

Will this stop Bath going green? Well hopefully the stonework will, whilst the city continues to go green in other ways.