Abstract
Green walls have previously demonstrated the capacity to reduce particulate matter (PM), noise pollution, and temperature conditions in manipulative experiments and computational models. There is, however, minimal evidence that green walls can influence ambient environmental conditions, especially taking into account the variable environmental conditions encountered in situ. The aim of this paper was to determine if green walls have a quantitative effect on ambient air quality in an urban environment. Ambient PM, noise, and temperature were recorded at 12 green wall and adjacent reference wall locations across a dense urban centre, over a 6-month period. The results indicated that PM levels and temperature did not significantly differ between the green wall and reference wall sites. Ambient noise at the green wall sites, however, was significantly lower than at the reference wall locations. It is suggested that mechanically assisted, or ‘active’ green wall systems may have a higher PM and temperature reduction capacity, and if so, they will be more valuable for installation in situ compared to standard passive systems, although this will require further research.
Highlights
The proportion of people living in dense urban areas increased from 34% in 1960 to 54% in 2014 [1], with living in cities increasingly correlating with a range of health problems [2]
Technologies that reduce exposure to, and mitigate the effects of the factors associated with dense urban environments—air pollution, the urban heat island effect, and noise pollution—are paramount
Average particulate matter (PM) concentrations at the green wall sites were not significantly lower than those recorded at the paired reference walls for PM2.5 (t71 = −1.10, p = 0.1; Figure 2a), nor PM10 (t71 = −0.50, p = 0.3; Figure 2b)
Summary
The proportion of people living in dense urban areas increased from 34% in 1960 to 54% in 2014 [1], with living in cities increasingly correlating with a range of health problems [2]. Diminishing air quality in dense urban environments, in particular, is an emergent health problem [3,4,5]. As urban areas become increasingly dense, issues such as excess heat and noise are produced [11], which negatively impacts wildlife, vegetation, and human populations; altering local climate and increasing building energy demands [7,12]. Technologies that reduce exposure to, and mitigate the effects of the factors associated with dense urban environments—air pollution, the urban heat island effect, and noise pollution—are paramount
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
