Vertical Vegetation Design Decisions And
Their Impact On Energy Consumption In
Subtropical Cities
Author(s)
Y. Stav & G. Lawson
Abstract
Vertical vegetation is vegetation growing on, or adjacent to, the unused sunlit
exterior surfaces of buildings in cities. Vertical vegetation can improve the
energy efficiency of the building on which it is installed mainly by insulating,
shading and transpiring moisture from foliage and substrate. Several design
parameters may affect the extent of the vertical vegetation’s improvement of
energy performance. Examples are choice of vegetation, growing medium
geometry, north/south aspect and others. The purpose of this study is to
quantitatively map out the contribution of several parameters to energy savings
in a subtropical setting. The method is thermal simulation based on EnergyPlus
configured to reflect the special characteristics of vertical vegetation. Thermal
simulation results show that yearly cooling energy savings can reach 25% with
realistic design choices in subtropical environments. The most important
parameter is the aspect of walls covered by vegetation. Vertical vegetation
covering walls facing north (south for the northern hemisphere) will result in the
highest energy savings. In making plant selections, the most significant
parameter is Leaf Area Index (LAI). Plants with larger LAI, preferably LAI>4,
contribute to greater savings whereas LAI<2 can actually consume energy.
Change of growing medium thickness from 6cm to 8cm causes a dramatic
increase in energy savings from 2% to 18%. It is best to use a growing material
with high water retention, due to the importance of evapotranspiration for
cooling. Similarly, for increased savings in cooling energy, sufficient irrigation is
required. To conclude, the choice of design parameters for vertical vegetation is
crucial in making sure that it contributes to energy savings rather than energy
Keywords
vertical vegetation, living walls, thermal simulation, energy consumption, sustainable design
Related Book
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