An Analytical Approach to Vertical Green Systems in High Rise Buildings

The emerging megacities of the twenty-first century are not only known for the opportunities they provide but also for the destructive impact they have on the environment. The heat island effect caused by the increasing man-made environments and diminishing amount of green spaces in the cities has lately led to novel sustainable solutions such as the integration of vertical green systems in high-rise buildings in order to increase the amount of green spaces in the city and enhance the quality of life specially in cities growing vertically. For that reason, the research gives an in-depth review on existing vertical green systems (i.e. façade-supported green wall and/or living wall plants) as provisions for the integration of vegetation into high-rise buildings are required to be done during the design process. This knowledge is strengthened with a literature survey on important criteria, guidelines and regulations on vertical greenery. Then, the thesis focuses on selected precedents with integrated vertical green systems, mostly residential and office buildings, in need to understand how they are designed, constructed and maintained in practice. Overall, the study attempts to provide a deep insight into the green vertical systems, by looking into their standards, classification, how they are integrated into design, and installed during construction process, as well as how they are maintained during the operation of the building in order to benefit architects and researchers wishing to work in this field. Keywords: Vertical Green Systems, High-Rise Buildings, Design Process, Construction, Installation, Maintenance.