Ferla’s Green Wall is not a monument, but a living piece of infrastructure that is growing and continues to attract European projects. Thanks to the fellowship from the Horizon Europe NICE project, which concluded in May 2026, the Wall2Water system at the ‘Valle dell’Anapo’ Institute – which treats greywater from the school’s washbasins and reuses it in the toilets – has been upgraded in three ways: a rain garden, an advanced monitoring system and the refurbishment of the existing plant.
The rain garden is an above-ground feature: it collects and filters rainwater from the roof and channels it into the wall-mounted tanks. Sensors and automatic valves regulate the flow during heavy rainfall, preventing overloading. A connection has also been established with the new sports facilities next to the school: once operational, greywater from showers and washbasins will bring the system up to its full treatment capacity of 1,300 litres per day, compared with the current figure of around 100 litres. When fully operational, the treated non-conventional water will be able to cover approximately 23 per cent of water consumption.
The new monitoring system comprises 24 sensors connected to three photovoltaic control units and a remote platform: 12 environmental sensors, 9 humidity sensors on the three green façades and 3 level sensors in the tanks. Initial data confirm that the infrastructure is functioning correctly, and monitoring will continue even after the NICE project has ended: a long-term legacy for the local council. Meanwhile, water quality analyses carried out by the University of Catania as part of the Horizon Europe CARDIMED project confirm that the outgoing water meets Italian standards for reuse. The data is tracked in real time by the CARDIMED tool, which automatically updates with data from the (NICE) sensors and other sources.
The project is rounded off with new plants and substrate, filters, meters and an overhaul of the plumbing system.
This confirms an approach that has been working in Ferla for years: each project paves the way for the next. NAWAMED built the Green Wall, URWAN involved the community in the regeneration of Piazza Aldo Moro, CARDIMED measures the results, and NICE enhances the project. In Ferla, environmental innovation is not a question of scale but of vision.