Evaluation of Thermal Comfort Performance of a Vertical Garden on a Glazed Façade and Its Effect on Building and Urban Scale, Case Study: An Office Building in Barcelona

Faezeh Bagheri Moghaddam, Josep Maria Fort Mir, Isidro Navarro Delgado and Ernesto Redondo Dominguez
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Faezeh Bagheri Moghaddam: Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Josep Maria Fort Mir: Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Isidro Navarro Delgado: Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Ernesto Redondo Dominguez: Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-21

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate the thermal performance of vertical gardens by comparing the thermal comfort of bare (glazed) and green façades in the Mediterranean climate. The proposal consists of applying a vegetation layer on a glazed façade that could control solar radiation and reduce indoor air temperatures. This study investigates the thermal performance of green façades of an office building in the Mediterranean climate. For this purpose, the Gas Natural Fenosa Office Building as a case study was simulated, that is located on a site next to the coastline in Barcelona. Dynamic building energy simulation was used to determine and assess indoor thermal conditions and, for this reason, the IES VE as a simulation tool has been utilized. Thermal comfort was assessed through the adaptive comfort approach and results were analyzed and presented in the terms of indoor comfort conditions during occupied hours. As a result, the article shows that applying a green façade as a vegetation layer caused a reduction in the internal and external façade surface temperatures, as well as the indoor air temperature of the workplace. Additionally, enhancing indoor comfort in summer is closely associated with reducing the external surface temperature. In winter, it also protects the exterior surface from the low temperature of the outside, and all of this greatly increases thermal comfort performance.

Keywords: green façade; thermal comfort; air temperature; urban scale; building simulation; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6706-:d:574175

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