Facade Greening: A Way to Attain Sustainable Built Environment

Abstract

In urban areas today, natural vegetation are been replaced with concrete pavements, buildings and other structures, which bring with it several consequences such as; noticeable increase in the amount of energy used in heating and cooling buildings which led to urban heat island (UHI) effect, degrading of air quality, increasing the amount of hard surfaces in cities which led to rise in temperature and also increase the volume of storm water collected. The technology of integration of plants on building façade became a trend in the last decade. This paper outlined different types of green façade and their benefits to the built environment. The paper through review of related literature is aimed at discussing how façade greening positively affect the built environment through the moderation of air quality; mitigate urban heat stress through transpiration cooling and shading. The paper also shows that façade greening will help in attaining a healthier living and a pollution free work place in the urban areas and any other place. The research concluded that the use of greenery on building façade provides a way to attaining a sustainable built environment.