The design of this type of façades integrates the use of plants as an outer skin of the buildings.
The vegetation has a series of characteristics that allow to improve the behavior of the buildings and improve the environmental conditions around them due to the following reasons:
They cool the environment around them, the plants lose water to the environment through evapotranspiration using in this process the heat of the surrounding air, thus cooling and humidifying the environment.
Improvement in air quality, due to the effect of photosynthesis absorbing CO2 and generating new oxygen.
Reduction of pollution by the effect of the fixation of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium or others whose particles are suspended in the air. These particles are fixed to the substrate or soil that maintains this vegetation being metabolized by the fungi and bacteria present.
Natural ventilation, as a result of the variation of temperatures in its environment that generates natural air currents.
Wind protection.
Solar protection and thermal insulation, vegetation obstructs, filters and reflects solar radiation.
Among the multiple types of plant facades are the vines and vines on the walls that decrease the transmission of heat both by conduction and radiation, by avoiding the impact of direct solar radiation and by decreasing the temperature of the air adjacent to the wall.In some cases it is interesting to use deciduous plants that guarantee protection against solar radiation in summer allowing the passage of solar radiation in winter.
There are different types of construction systems for plant facades. The highlights are:
Systems based on climbing plants, in which trellises can be used to promote the growth and fixation of plants.
Currently there are different research projects that aim to obtain theoretical models and quantify the improvements provided by this type of façades.
Over the next few years we will see a growing use of plant facades as they constitute an excellent alternative for a more ecological and sustainable architecture.
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