Making Nature Modular
As cities struggle with adapting to climate change, crumbling infrastructure, and rising ESG pressure, “green infrastructure” has exploded in popularity. Green infrastructure uses designed landscapes and natural systems like parks, green roofs, and urban forests to benefit people and the environment.
By mimicking natural processes, cities can naturally manage their stormwater, reduce the heat-island effect, improve air quality, and enhance biodiversity. Compared to traditional “grey” approaches like dams, pipes, and sewers, leveraging nature often results in less expensive, more effective climate resilience.
Problems with Adoption
In 2022, the private and public sectors combined to spend over $600 billion on green infrastructure, with the leading driver being climate resilience. With explosive, 25% growth year over year, the sector is expected to surge to $1 trillion globally by 2030.
Despite this, the industry still struggles with headwinds caused by its novelty, including:
1- Unknown performance: Skepticism from municipalities and developers who view the technology as too novel, with a limited track record. This skepticism leads to a preference for traditional "grey" infrastructure solutions that they’re more familiar with.
2- Unfamiliarity with maintenance: Lack of understanding regarding the maintenance needs and associated costs of green infrastructure. This uncertainty can deter adoption, especially when maintenance responsibilities fall on private owners.
3- Perception of higher cost: Designing and implementing green infrastructure can be seen as higher costs compared to conventional systems. Additionally, concerns about long-term maintenance expenses can cloud out any additional benefits.
The fact that the industry is as large as it is while struggling with these perceptions is a testament to how desperate cities are to increase their climate resilience.
How Modularity Helps
Traditional green infrastructure projects are complicated. Each one is engineered and designed for a specific site, uses a custom plan, new contractors, and unique permitting. This translates to high cost, long timelines, and uncertainty for owners, developers, and cities.
Modular systems flip this model. By standardizing design, installation, and performance with advanced sensing technology, installing green infrastructure starts to feel more like putting together patio furniture than it does a major construction project.
More importantly, by modularizing projects, we can start to tackle some of the key issues hindering adoption:
1-Repeatability yields proven performance: Because modular units are mass-produced and standardized, they can be tested, optimized, and deployed repeatedly across different sites. Each new installation builds the evidence base, reduces skepticism, and accelerates regulatory confidence.
2- Simplifies maintenance: Modular systems come with built-in access, monitoring, and service plans. Clear documentation and uniform components make maintenance easier to train for, budget, and manage. This demystifies upkeep for non-expert property owners.
3- Pre-fabricated components shorten project timelines, reduce design fees, and limit the need for specialized labor. Modular deployment allows phased investment, aligning with budget cycles and ESG goals without requiring large, upfront capital.
BioSeries is Click-Together Nature
The BioSeries is Verdant Metrics’ modular green infrastructure line, designed to make nature deployable, measurable, and scalable. Inspired by LEGO, IKEA, and nature itself, these modular units are optimized for performance, maintenance, and tenant engagement, turning ESG goals into visible, tangible progress.
BioBox: Our public-facing intelligence layer, a compact, self-contained system for courtyards, patios, and walkways that supports biodiversity, engages your tenants, and connects your building to a “nature node” network with lab-grade sensors - enabling smarter green infrastructure decisions.
BioGrid: Our climate resilience engine. BioGrid is a moss-based green roof system that installs like flooring. It’s lightweight, low-maintenance, and engineered to deliver passive environmental benefits, cooling buildings, reducing runoff, and cutting emissions, all without the complexity of soil-based green roofs.
Together, BioBox and BioGrid create a layered solution that makes green infrastructure feel less like a construction project and more like furniture.
Interested in bringing the Bioseries to your building? Book a demo or reach out to luke@verdantmetrics.com.
