Living Walls and Green Façades: An Implementation Code for Energy Simulation

Abstract

The impacts of climate change, excessive greenhouse gas emissions, and the current energy crisis have motivated the European Union to adopt mitigation and adaptation strategies. These strategies primarily focus on the building sector due to its crucial role in addressing these issues. Among the strategies, the implementation of resilient technologies for the building envelope, such as vertical greenery systems (VGSs) is gaining ground. The literature analysis shows that existing models are not sufficiently detailed in their description of the overall thermo-physical phenomena of VGSs. The aim of this work is to overcome the research gaps by selecting and improving two mathematical models for green façades and living walls. A dedicated calculation code to estimate the effect of VGSs on a building’s energy performance and indoor thermal comfort has been developed and implemented within the EnergyPlus calculation software (version 23.2). A BESTest Case from ASHRAE 140 was chosen to test the models and to assess benefits of VGSs. The results show that adopting green solutions for the building envelope can contribute to achieving the building’s energy efficiency goals and that the modelling of these technologies can be easily carried out within a dynamic energy simulation of the building.