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Thermal behaviour assessment of a novel vertical greenery module system: first results of a long-term monitoring campaign in an outdoor test cell

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Abstract

Vertical greenery modular systems (VGMSs) are an increasingly widespread building envelope solution aimed at improving the aesthetical quality of both new and existing façades, contemporarily achieving high energy efficiency performance. Within a research project, a new prototype of VGMS was developed, designed and tested. An experimental monitoring campaign was carried out on a test cell located in Turin (northern Italy), aimed at assessing both biometric parameters and energy-related issues. Two different types of growing media and two plant species, Lonicera nitida L. and Bergenia cordifolia L., have been tested on a south-facing lightweight wall. Results have been compared to the same wall without VGMS and plaster finished, in order to characterise the thermal insulation effectiveness in the winter period and the heat gain reduction in the summer period. Measured equivalent thermal transmittance values of the green modular system showed a 40 % reduction, when compared to the plastered wall, thus noticeably impacting on the energy crossing the façade during the heating season. Benefits of the VGMS are measured also during the summer season, when the presence of vegetation lowers the outdoor surface temperatures of the wall up to 23 °C compared to the plastered finishing, with a positive effect on outdoor comfort and urban heat island mitigation. Nevertheless, as far as the entering energies are concerned, not significant reduction was observed for VGMS, compared to the reference plastered wall, since the green coverage acts as a thermal buffer and solar radiation is stored and slowly released to the indoor environment.

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Notes

  1. 45.05 N–7.67 E, northern hemisphere, a humid subtropical climate following Köppen climate classification Cfa

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Acknowledgments

The research was developed in the framework of the POLIGHT projects “GRE_EN_S”, funded by Regione Piemonte. The project was developed in cooperation with DAD_Politecnico di Torino, ByBox_CEIT, Reviplan, Ricrea and Safitech. Thanks to the nursery by Mr. Secondino Lamparelli for the plants provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. TEBE Research Group, Energy Department, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Torino, Italy

    Lorenza Bianco, Valentina Serra & Marco Perino

  2. DISAFA, Università degli Studi di Torino, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy

    Federica Larcher

Authors
  1. Lorenza Bianco
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  2. Valentina Serra
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  3. Federica Larcher
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  4. Marco Perino
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Correspondence to Valentina Serra.

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Bianco, L., Serra, V., Larcher, F. et al. Thermal behaviour assessment of a novel vertical greenery module system: first results of a long-term monitoring campaign in an outdoor test cell. Energy Efficiency 10, 625–638 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-016-9473-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-016-9473-4

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