The initial study on implementation of vertical greenery in Malaysia

Abstract

Mass urbanization and rapid global population growth lead to the occurrence of dense urban areas. For buildings located in densely built urban areas, there are minimum horizontal green spaces. One practical idea to increase the presence of green is to plant upwards when horizontal space is a constraint. This research is done for the case in Malaysia as Malaysia have yet to emerge in vertical greenery implementation for buildings. The aim of this research is to determine the significances of implementing vertical greenery. The second aim is to identify the barriers to the implementation of vertical greenery and the final aim is to provide practical approaches as well as recommendations to increase the adoption of vertical greenery in Malaysia. The methodology of this research is qualitative method whereby interviews are conducted. Vertical greenery is introduced to provide environmental, economic and social benefits. For environmental issues, the temperature can be reduced and energy efficiency can be improved. Economically, vertical greenery can assist in energy savings and improve acoustic insulation. As for the social impacts, the presence of vertical greenery provides pleasing and better environment for the community. With these three aspects, sustainability can be achieved. The main barrier to the implementation of vertical greenery is due to the high cost of construction. The government should place more emphasis on implementing vertical greenery as it is considered as a promising solution to bring significances.