Vertical Turf for Green Façades: a Vertical Greenery Modular System Integrated to the Building Envelope

Research has shown the environmental benefits of green envelopes, as well as performance in terms of energy efficiency. To date, there is no analysis of the economic sustainability of these systems, which has allowed the realization of a few, albeit very well known, examples.

The research has identified a green modular system integrated into the building envelope, designed to facilitate installation and maintenance, with competitive performance compared to other existing solutions; a system that wants to improve performance and flexibility of vertical applications, experimented on buildings, on the market, and able to adapt, above all, to the needs of the building process. It is important to distinguish architectural aesthetic requirements from those of the building process; the former aim to have an authentic vertical garden, with different kinds of plants where nature dictates the rules, the latter aims to achieve the economic sustainability of vertical greenery systems.

This paper provides an analysis of a technique based on the installation of plant bearing modular panels with turf on substructures also provided with a micro-irrigation system, which allows the construction of a modular coating, characterized by reduced thickness, that can also be integrated with other materials; installation is quick and simple, since the panel comes perfectly planted on site. In addition to that it allows, from a botanical point of view, resorting to types of grass selected with a view to climate, exposure, environmental adaptability, color and shape. A comparative analysis of this green façade is also presented compared to other existing case studies, from a constructive and managerial point of view, highlighting both its economic and architectural advantages.