Evaluation of the impact of the LWS vertical garden prototype on the environmental comfort of a single-family house at 3800 m.a.s.l

Abstract

In this study, the impact of the implementation of a vertical garden LWS on indoor air quality and thermal comfort in an urban house in Puno City, located in the Collao plateau in the Peruvian Andes, characterized by extreme environmental conditions and low temperatures. The purpose was to evaluate the impact of the LWS vertical garden prototype on the environmental comfort of a single-family house located at 3800 m.a.s.l. A vertical garden prototype was built with five 1.5 m long modular planters, oriented to the northeast and implementing a drip irrigation system. The air quality and thermal behavior of the vertical garden inside the house were compared, demonstrating its positive effect on thermal comfort and air quality. CO2 concentration decreased significantly from 489.37 ppm to 445.10 ppm in the garden. Also, the levels of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and formaldehyde (HCHO) were significantly reduced, showing the effectiveness of the garden in absorbing atmospheric pollutants. Likewise, an increase in average temperature from 16.49°C to 18.07°C and an increase in relative humidity from 41.83% to 48.81% was observed, suggesting that the garden contributes to mitigating low temperatures. In addition, the modular augmentation of a planter was found to contribute to improved indoor air quality. These results highlight the viability of this technology as a sustainable solution to optimize the indoor environment. It was also observed how the LWS vertical garden adds an aesthetic and spatial dimension to indoor spaces, enhancing spatial perception through the introduction of vertical vegetation and dynamic interaction with natural light.