Exploratory Analysis of a Novel Modular Green Wall’s Impact on Indoor Temperature and Energy Consumption in Residential Buildings: A Case Study from Belgium

Milana Radujković (), Alexis Versele and Hilde Breesch ()
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Milana Radujković: Renewable Energy Sources and Ecological Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Alexis Versele: Building Physics and Sustainable Design, Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Ghent Campus, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Hilde Breesch: Building Physics and Sustainable Design, Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Ghent Campus, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-25

Abstract: One possible solution that mitigates the effects of climate change is the implementation of vertical greenery systems, which have the potential to reduce the need for cooling and provide energy savings for heating. This paper evaluates the effects of an innovative modular green wall on indoor temperature and energy use in a residential case study building. This research was carried out on a residential house in the city of Ghent, Belgium, whose southwest facade is covered with a specific type of modular green wall (a structure with a specific substrate and plants that have the ability to purify water so that it can be reused in the house). The monitoring process included four different temperatures (in front of and behind the green wall, in the substrate, and on the wall without greenery) during winter and summer periods. To analyze the effect on the internal temperature and energy use, a DesignBuilder simulation model was built and validated against these experimental results. This green wall has proven to have the greatest effect during the hottest summer days by reducing the indoor temperature by up to 3.5 °C. It also effectively increases the indoor temperature by up to 1.4 °C on a cold winter day, leading to energy savings of 6% on an annual basis.

Keywords: energy-efficient design; vertical greenery systems; modular green wall; building performance simulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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