Free Essay: Application of Vertical Greening Technology in Sustainable Architecture

In modern architecture, both developed and developing countries have experienced the inevitable loss of green space due to the conversion of valuable green space into commercial towers, housing estates, and residential apartments (Perez-Urrestarazu et al., 2015). As a result, there has been a gradual increase in urban temperature in the cities- referred to as urban heat islands (UHI). The increase in temperature creates the need for building strategies that could improve economic value while minimizing the deleterious effects on the urban infrastructure (Medl et al., 2017).

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Contemporary sustainable architecture increasingly focuses on vertical greening technologies as a way of restoration of the integrity of urban areas, sustainability as well as biodiversity (Perini et al., 2011). The application of green facades, for instance, could offer multiple environmental benefits to both the existing and the new building and could also lead to sustainability in terms of energy savings as well as efficiency in the preservation of the edifices (Rakhshandehroo et al., 2015). Even though vertical greening technology has been adopted in developed countries in Europe, New Zealand, and Australia, it has not been advanced in most developing countries.

Research Questions

• How can vertical greening technology improve the aesthetics of Urban Living in developing countries?
• How can vertical greening technology as a form of sustainable architecture improve the urban climate in developing countries?
• What is the role of vertical greening technology in improving air quality and reducing the carbon footprint in developing countries?

Research Objectives

The general research objective for the research will be to examine the role of vertical greening technology (such as green walls, vertical gardens, and bio-walls) as sustainable architectural practices in resolving and improving the mentioned problems.

However, the specific objectives will include:

• To assess the role of vertical greening technology (bio-walls and green walls) in improving the aesthetics of urban living in developing countries
• To examine how vertical greening technology (bio walls, green walls, and vertical gardens) as a form of sustainable architecture could improve the urban climate in developing countries.
• To assess the role of Vertical gardening in improving air quality and reducing the carbon footprint in developing countries.

Statement of Problems

The rapid development observed in urban areas results in less available land for green walls and generally green space. Around the world, cities are becoming denser characterized by less green space and harder surfaces (Peng & Lin, 2015). This leaves little room for natural habitats and vegetation. One of the most significant ways of creating more natural environments within urban areas is to adopt vertical greening technology. Even though the practice has been taken in developed countries in Europe and New Zealand and Australia, it has not been adopted in most countries in developing countries (Perez-Urrestarazu et al., 2015). As such, this research would delve into examining the impacts of vertical greening -as a sustainable form of architecture -within developing countries.

Literature Review

Green Walls and Aesthetics in Urban Dwellings.

Research indicates that the green wall comes with a positive consequence of creating new green spaces within the cities (Sheweka & Mohamed, 2012). However, the vertical greening concept is still a newcomer within landscape architecture, and there are increasing innovations in the sector. Research conducted by Hung and Peng (2018) also indicated that well-designed and maintained walls significantly improve the appearance of buildings and add new aesthetics and texture to complete walls or sections. The main weakness of vertical greening is the high maintenance associated with keeping the walls living and in their natural conditions (Medl et al., 2017).

Green Walls and Improved Urban Climate

The green walls or vertical greening have multiple impacts on the cities as well as the citizens therein. For instance, according to Perini et al. (2013), green walls protect structures and buildings from the effects of natural elements such as direct exposure to sun rays. In the case of bare walls, solar radiation from the sun is conducted into the building, thus increasing the internal temperature of the building. Such a condition results in the urban 'heat island' effect (Magliocco, 2018).

The urban heat island relates to the metropolitan area with significantly warmer temperatures than the surrounding areas (Mir, 2011). Bare walls and other surfaces have tremendous contributions to the experienced urban 'heat effect.' The installation of green walls helps in the mitigation and management of stormwater. Research has also indicated that green walls improve the water quality through rainwater filtration as it passes through the plant root zone; in return, the internal temperature of the building is regulated (Manso & Castro-Gomes, 2015).

Vertical Greening, Improved Air Quality, and Reduced Carbon Footprint.

In the natural ecosystems and the biological world, plants take in carbon dioxide, which they use in food synthesis when exposed to sunlight giving out oxygen (Peng, 2013). This implies that the introduction of green plants on the walls of urban buildings is likely to result in much carbon dioxide being consumed and much oxygen released (Perez-Urrestarazu et al., 2015).

Research also indicates that the green walls also improve the air quality through the process of biofiltration in which they trap dust and other pollutants from the air (Othman & Sahidin, 2016). Research conducted by the Tokyo Institute of Technology indicated that the green walls prevent the build-up of the urban dirt as well as helping in the absorption of heavy metals from the rainwater (Peng et al., 2015). The metropolitan areas are therefore liveable due to the reduction in the carbon footprint and the improvement in the quality of air.

Significance of the Study

With urban areas increasingly becoming denser, there is a need for sustainable architectural practices such as the application of vertical greening technologies in both developing and developing countries (Perez-Urrestarazu et al., 2015). However, sustainable architectural practices have been increasingly adopted in developed countries within Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. However, there is limited information concerning the role of vertical greening in solving the problems, as mentioned earlier in developing countries. As such, this study intends to bridge the gaps in the body of knowledge by providing practical information on the application of vertical greening in developing countries.

Research Methodology

This will be mixed research (both qualitative and quantitative) in which the data will be obtained from secondary sources. The secondary data will include those emanating from presumed benefits of vertical greening, especially to the case study potential countries in terms of green architecture aspects as such, the relevant literature will be obtained from library research, case study analysis, and evaluation as well as historical documentaries.

References

Giordano, R., Montacchini, E., Tedesco, S., & Perone, A. (2017). Living wall systems: a technical standard proposal. Energy Procedia, 111, 298-307.

Hung, P., & Peng, K. (2018). Green energy water-autonomous greenhouse system: an alternative technology approach toward sustainable smart-green vertical greening in an intelligent city. In Green City Planning and Practices in Asian Cities (pp. 315-335). Springer, Cham. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-70025-0_16

Magliocco, A. (2018). Vertical Greening Systems: Social and Aesthetic Aspects. In Nature Based Strategies for Urban and Building Sustainability (pp. 263-271). Butterworth-Heinemann. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812150-4.00024-0

Manso, M., & Castro-Gomes, J. (2015). Green wall systems: A review of their characteristics. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 41, 863-871. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.07.203

Medl, A., Mayr, S., Rauch, H. P., Weihs, P., & Florineth, F. (2017). Microclimatic conditions of 'Green Walls,' a new restoration technique for steep slopes based on a steel grid construction. Ecological Engineering, 101, 39-45. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.01.018

Medl, A., Stangl, R., & Florineth, F. (2017). Vertical greening systems-A review on recent technologies and research advancement. Building and Environment, 125, 227-239. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2017.08.054

Mir, M. A. (2011). Green facades and building structures. Retrieved from https://www.carlstahl.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Green_facades_and_Building_structures_M.A.Mir_.pdf

Othman, A. R., & Sahidin, N. (2016). Vertical greening facade as a passive approach in sustainable design. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences, 222, 845-854.

Peng, K. H. (2013). The application of vertical greening to urban rehabilitation and maintenance. International Review for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, 1(3), 41-52. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.14246/irspsd.1.3_41

Peng, K. H., & Lin, H. Y. (2015). A Study on the Types of Vertical Greening Applying to Urban Existing Buildings in Taiwan. In Proceedings of the World Congress on New Technologies (NewTech 2015) Barcelona, Spain-July 15-17, 2015 Paper No. 214. (Online). Retrieved from https://avestia.com/NewTech2015_Proceedings/files/papers/ICEPR214.pdf

Peng, K. H., Kuo, Y. C. & Lin, H. Y. (2015). The use of vertical greening in urban rehabilitation to improve the sustainability of the environment in Taiwan. International review for spatial planning and sustainable development, 3(1), 5-16. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.14246/irspsd.3.1_5

Perez-Urrestarazu, L., Fernandez-Canero, R., Franco-Salas, A., & Egea, G. (2015). Vertical greening systems and sustainable cities. Journal of Urban Technology, 22(4), 65-85. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2015.1073900

Perini, K., Ottele, M., Haas, E. M., & Raiteri, R. (2011). Greening the building envelope, facade greening, and living wall systems. Open Journal of Ecology, 1(01), 1. Retrieved from https://www.scirp.org/html/5146.html

Perini, K., Ottele, M., Haas, E. M., & Raiteri, R. (2013). Vertical greening systems, a process tree for green facades, and living walls. Urban Ecosystems, 16(2), 265-277. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-012-0262-3

Rakhshandehroo, M., Yusof, M., Johari, M., & Arabi, R. (2015). Living wall (vertical greening): Benefits and Threats. In Applied Mechanics and Materials (Vol. 747, pp. 16-19). Trans Tech Publications Ltd. Retrieved from https://www.scientific.net/AMM.747.16

Sheweka, S. M., & Mohamed, N. M. (2012). Green facades as a new sustainable approach towards climate change. Energy Procedia, 18, 507-520. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2012.05.062