Vertical Greenery Systems in Tropical Climate - A Review

Abstract

In burgeoning tropical urban areas, impermeable surfaces exacerbate urban heat stress, creating Urban Heat Islands (UHI). Mitigating this requires the adaptation of Vertical Greenery Systems (VGS) in the built environment. While studies explore VGS, few address their environmental impact in tropical contexts, where adverse weather challenges the design and management. Guided by 'Green wall,' this study categorizes literature on VGS into systems, technical properties, and tropical challenges. Scrutinizing climate, maintenance, and cost as barriers, the study aims to identify factors influencing successful VGS deployment in the tropics. Objectives include exploring typologies, designs, performances, irrigation, maintenance challenges, and climatic factors. Insights seek to offer a nuanced understanding of their efficacy across climates. Recommendations stress the need for targeted tropical research, a multidisciplinary maintenance approach, meticulous material selection, and ongoing technological adaptation for sustainable VGS in tropical urban landscapes.