Media Release

For Immediate Release

September 29, 2009

Saint Mary’s installs Atlantic Canada’s first living wall

The first living wall in Atlantic Canada was installed last week at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

The three-storey living wall is part of the university’s new $17.5-million Atrium and includes approximately
1,100 plants. Saint Mary’s living wall is the largest living wall actively cleaning indoor air east of Toronto
and it’s one of the largest living walls in the world.

“The living wall at Saint Mary’s represents the matching of science, engineering and art,” said Dr. Alan
Darlington, President of Nedlaw Living Walls, the company that built and installed the wall. “It is a
functional centre piece for the building that not only looks great but is fully integrated into the building’s air
handling system.”

Gabrielle Morrison, Vice President, Administration for Saint Mary’s University and Chair of the University's
Sustainability Committee, said, “Sustainable development is happening at all levels on campus. We
believe that the University is a ‘living laboratory’ where we can create a sustainable future and the
installation of the living wall is a fine example of this.”

The Atrium, currently under construction to Silver LEED® certification standards, is not yet open to
students and the public.

For more information about this exciting development on the Saint Mary’s campus, or to arrange for an
interview with Dr. Jeremy Lundholm, Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at Saint
Mary’s, or Caitlin Dix, the student representative on the Saint Mary’s University Sustainability Committee,
please contact Saint Mary's University Public Affairs.    

You can also find out more about the living wall and the new Atrium by visiting http://www.theatrium.ca.

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For More Information:

Blake Patterson
Public Affairs Officer
Saint Mary's University, Public Affairs
(902) 420.5514
E-mail: blake.patterson@smu.ca
www.smu.ca