Employing systems of green walls to improve performance and rationalize energy in buildings

Abstract

In the context of energy crisis challenges, climatic changes, rising temperatures, and the disappearance of green areas, all these have led to emerging thermally uncomfortable indoor spaces because their envelopes did not prevent the harmful effects of the outdoor climate. Hence, the urgent need to adopt the most effective methods to treat thermal performance and rationalize energy consumption in buildings has emerged. Consequently, the research aims to improve the environmental and thermal performance of building envelopes affecting their indoor environments by employing the systems of green walls. Accordingly, their types, design considerations, characteristics, technical elements, and indicators of sustainability aspects related to them were collected and investigated to ensure their success. Also, these systems’ indoor and outdoor effects on buildings and two international experiments were analyzed for benefit when dealing with these systems. An analytical comparison was performed concerning their applications to guide understanding and utilization. The study devised a seven-stage framework to choose, design, evaluate, and attain the most appropriate green wall system according to the state and circumstances of the studied building. Finally, inspecting this framework was by the chi-square test, thus fostering the integration of the natural environment with the built environment, human comfort, and energy conservation.