Exploring Feasibility of Incorporating Vertical Gardens in Indian Context

Abstract

Urbanization which is one of the major problems in this century, has resulted in many environmental problems such as increased number of concrete buildings thereby reducing the requirement of open spaces in and around. Even though urbanization has reduced the green areas of the city, it has provided a platform for the development of the vertical gardening. The vertical gardens are gardens that covers building facades walls using various plant species. The vertical gardens not only increase urban green areas but also have some functions such as sound and heat isolation, energy productivity, air quality improvement, heat island reduction, aesthetics, and positive contribution to human psychology. However, factors such as constant maintenance difficulties, high cost, lack of knowledge and consciousness in vertical gardens are preparing for the aesthetic purposes and preventing the spread of applications. The research aims at exploring various factors that affect the implementation of vertical gardens according to Indian conditions in warm and humid climate for a low rise building and also analyses about the different systems and typology of vertical gardens. The intent of the paper is to determine different strategies that could be adopted to implement vertical landscaping in Indian context exploring its feasibility of implementation.