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Experimental Assessment of the Thermal Influence of a Continuous Living Wall in a Subtropical Climate in Brazil

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  • Murilo Cruciol-Barbosa

    (School of Architecture, Arts, Communication and Design of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Engenheiro Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01, Bauru 17033-360, SP, Brazil)

  • Maria Solange Gurgel de Castro Fontes

    (School of Architecture, Arts, Communication and Design of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Engenheiro Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01, Bauru 17033-360, SP, Brazil)

  • Maximiliano dos Anjos Azambuja

    (Departamento of Civil and Environmental Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Engenheiro Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01, Bauru 17033-360, SP, Brazil)

Abstract

A continuous living wall is a vertical garden that allows the cultivation of a wide variety of species on vertical surfaces, consisting of a sequence of layers that shade and add thermal resistance to the external façades of buildings. Thus, the living wall can be an alternative to increase the thermal efficiency of the building and reduce the use of air conditioning for cooling the indoor environment. This work experimentally investigated the thermal influence of a continuous living wall on the surface temperatures of an east façade in a subtropical climate with hot summers (Cfa), during the summer period. The experiment included the implementation of a real living wall in a seasonally used building and the delimitation of two sample plots (i.e., protected and bare wall). Campaigns were carried out to measure the external and internal surface temperatures of the protected plot, the living wall, and the bare wall, as well as the cavity air temperature, from 08:00 to 17:45, at 15-min intervals. The results show the efficiency of the living wall in reducing the external (up to 10.6 °C) and internal (up to 2.9 °C) surface temperatures of the protected plot compared to the bare wall, along with a reduction in thermal variation (average reduction of 6.5 °C externally and 3.6 °C internally) and an increase in thermal delay (up to 6 h for external and 1 h for internal), in addition to a reduction in temperature and greater thermal stability of the cavity between the garden and the protected land in comparison to the external space.

Suggested Citation

  • Murilo Cruciol-Barbosa & Maria Solange Gurgel de Castro Fontes & Maximiliano dos Anjos Azambuja, 2023. "Experimental Assessment of the Thermal Influence of a Continuous Living Wall in a Subtropical Climate in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:2985-:d:1060223
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Faezeh Bagheri Moghaddam & Josep Maria Fort Mir & Alia Besné Yanguas & Isidro Navarro Delgado & Ernest Redondo Dominguez, 2020. "Building Orientation in Green Facade Performance and Its Positive Effects on Urban Landscape Case Study: An Urban Block in Barcelona," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Pérez, Gabriel & Rincón, Lídia & Vila, Anna & González, Josep M. & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2011. "Green vertical systems for buildings as passive systems for energy savings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4854-4859.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yun Gao & Ensiyeh Farrokhirad & Adrian Pitts, 2023. "The Impact of Orientation on Living Wall Façade Temperature: Manchester Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-24, July.

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