Abstract
The use of vegetation for the energy efficiency of buildings is an increasingly widespread practice; therefore, the possibility of representing these systems correctly with the use of simulation software is essential. VGS performances have been widely studied, but currently, the lack of a unique simulation method to assess the efficiency of different types of VGS and the absence of studies evaluating the performances of all the systems available, proposing simulation models for each of them, leads to an incomplete energy representation. The aim of this study is to achieve a consistent and complete simulation method, comparing the different systems’ performances. The research is made up of five main steps. Firstly, a classification to group these systems into specific categories was proposed; secondly an in-depth analysis of existing literature was worked out to establish the methods used for different types of VGS. The study of plant physiology allowed the definition of an energy balance, which is valid for all vegetated surfaces; then, each category was associated to a mathematical formula and finally integrated into the EnergyPlus software. The results achieved for each model were compared evaluating two important parameters for the termohygrometric conditions control: outside walls face temperatures and operative temperatures.
Highlights
The search for technological systems and materials for urban and building regeneration, especially in recent years, has paid particular attention to sustainability
Stefano Boeri designed a tower completely surrounded by trees in Milan [11] and Herzog & de Meuron integrated the Mur Vegetal, the system patented by the botanist Patrick Blanc [12], with the building envelope in their project at Caixa Forum in Madrid; the same system was chosen by Jean Nouvel for the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris
The aim of the present study consists in identifying the contribution offered in the thermohygrometric field by the different types of Vertical Greenery Systems (VGS), translating the behavior of plants into a mathematical form that can be suitable for the EnergyPlus software
Summary
The search for technological systems and materials for urban and building regeneration, especially in recent years, has paid particular attention to sustainability. The integration between vegetation and buildings responds effectively to this request, providing benefits proven by several studies: the reduction of CO2 emissions and the high temperatures that determine the “heat island” effect, modifying the urban microclimate [1,2,3,4,5], the increase in the quality of life [6,7] and the improvement of building hydrological [8] and thermal performances. GR do not include diversified systems, a feature possessed by VGS instead, which require different models. The VGS are mainly included in projects carried out by internationally renowned architects, and have very high construction and maintenance costs. The validation of the methods proposed is obtained by a comparison between mathematical models and the experimental data, both as presented in the scientific literature
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