Plants Instead of Blinds: Vertical Greening Protects Glass Facades from Overheating

Large glass facades are considered a modern style element in urban architecture – but they also significantly contribute to the overheating of buildings. Researchers at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna have now developed a greening system that can significantly mitigate this effect. Climbing plants and specially designed trellises are intended to shade glass facades in summer – with measurable success.

Over 90 Percent Less Sunlight

As BOKU announces in a press release, the new system for "pre-shading" was tested at locations in Vienna and Tyrol – including a bistro in Söll and an office building in Vienna. By the third year after installation, the plants covered more than 90 percent of the glass surface. This also reduced solar radiation on the facades in summer by over 90 percent.

Contribution to Indoor Climate and Humidity

In addition to direct shading, the planted areas also had a positive effect on the indoor climate. Measurements showed an increase in humidity by around ten percent – a factor that, according to project leader Rosemarie Stangl, "makes a decisive contribution to improving thermal comfort."

New Standard: Green Shading Factor

As an innovation, a so-called "green shading factor" was derived for the first time as part of the project. This allows for a quantitative assessment of the shading effects of plants and thus enables comparison with conventional sun protection systems. The system is particularly suitable for ground to single-story glass facades and can be adapted to specific locations.

The project was led by the Institute of Soil Bioengineering and Landscape Construction at BOKU Vienna and is understood as a contribution to climate-resilient building in urban areas.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.