Thermal and Illuminance Performance of a Translucent Green Wall

Javier Alonso Ojembarrena1; Mariana Chanampa2; Pilar Vidal Rivas3; Francesca Olivieri, Ph.D.4; Raquel Guerra Aragons5; F. Javier Neila Gonzlez6; and Csar Bedoya Frutos7
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Abstract: The aim of this research is to evaluate the energy savings and environmental benets contributed by vegetal facades in comparison with traditional ones. To this end, a particular type of vegetal facade (translucent green wall) has been designed, built, and monitored in an experimental building. All the constructive components of the system are recyclable and reusable. A similar facade without the vegetal layer has also been installed in the same building to compare both models. These two experimental facades are monitored by duplicate probes that record temperature, humidity, and illuminance data. A weather station installed in the same experimental building collects data about solar radiation and outside humidity. Using thermal and humidity data, the internal vegetal layer helps to prevent an excess of temperature inside the building, thus contributing comfort during the summertime. This prototype entails spatial innovation and is relatively easy to apply to housing construction, but further research is required to raise awareness on the benets of green walls. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)AE.19435568.0000059. 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Energy efciency; Green buildings; Cooling; Thermal factors; Walls. Author keywords: Energy saving; Greenhouse space; Bioclimatic architecture; Green wall; Evaporative cooling; Thermal comfort.

Introduction
The design of vegetated facades represents a contribution to environmentally friendly buildings. Vegetation offers varying thermal responses depending on climate conditions and improves hygiene ventilation, thermal comfort, and solar protection in dwellings. In recent years, energy management has become a valuable attribute, and reducing CO2 emissions in cities is today a global responsibility and a challenge in building design. Greening contributes benets to buildings (Neila Gonzlez 2004): higher humidity, lower temperature, better indoor thermal conditions, aesthetic benets, and psychological well-being. Thereby, this study quanties these contributions from natural plants in a special place between the interior and exterior layers of translucent facades (in the facades chamber). The leaves of the plants partially block incident solar
1 Researcher, Dept. of Building and Technology in Architecture, Technical Univ. of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain (corresponding author). E-mail address: j.alonso@abio-upm.org 2 Researcher, Dept. of Building and Technology in Architecture, Technical Univ. of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. 3 Researcher, Dept. of Building and Technology in Architecture, Technical Univ. of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. 4 Researcher, Dept. of Building and Technology in Architecture, Technical Univ. of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. 5 Researcher, Dept. of Building and Technology in Architecture, Technical Univ. of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. 6 Professor, Dept. of Building and Technology in Architecture, Technical Univ. of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. 7 Professor, Dept. of Building and Technology in Architecture, Technical Univ. of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Note. This manuscript was submitted on April 20, 2010; approved on July 25, 2011; published online on November 15, 2013. Discussion period open until May 1, 2014; separate discussions must be submitted for individual papers. This paper is part of the Journal of Architectural Engineering, Vol. 19, No. 4, December 1, 2013. ASCE, ISSN 1076-0431/ 2013/4-256264/$25.00.

radiation and increase the concentration of humidity inside the facades chamber, thus forcing the discharge of hot air through open slats. The evapotranspiration of plants and ventilation through the chamber introduces cool air inside the module, thus increasing comfort.

Literature Review
Where vegetation is integrated into architecture, the buildings microclimate is positively impacted, making it more comfortable. The technical difculty of integrating vegetation into building systems contrasts with the environmental benets it contributes, which have been widely discussed in research reports and publications. Most published studies refer to green roof systems and their performance, but the symbiosis between horizontal and vertical vegetated systems contributes signicantly greater environmental improvement, both indoors and in urban areas (Wong et al. 2009). The Tokyo Institute of Technology (Hoyano 1988) compared the thermal performance of an ivy-covered balcony and an unprotected one. This research report measured incident solar radiation inside and outside the balcony window, and each resulting value was rated as a percentage. Maximum solar radiation passing through ivy-protected windows was 25%, whereas unprotected windows allowed 6070% of solar radiation through. In terms of surface temperatures, the indoor oor of the ivy-protected building remained at 3032C, whereas that of the unprotected one reached 45C. Under the ivy layer, the air temperature was 24C lower than that in the other balcony until 1800 hrs. and remained higher during the nighttime because of the heat-retention characteristics of the vegetated layer. Cross ventilation and its thermal inuence were measured by the wind speed increase at the balcony referring to inner roof and rated as a percentage. This operation showed a 46% rate for the vegetated facade and a 17% rate for the other one. It was concluded that vegetation facilitates air circulation through windows and helps renew indoor atmospheres (Falcn 2007).

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An experiment in open spaces was conducted at the University of Seville (Velzquez et al. 1992). The aim of the study was to test solar radiation mitigation through integrated vegetation systems. Here, the comparison involved heat uxes of thermal balance in an uncovered area and in a covered one. The greatest recorded differences were the reduction of incident solar radiation and the cooling effect of moisture evaporation. In addition, the vegetal cover reduced radiant cooling at night by blocking the direct release to the atmosphere. The study also evaluates the most suitable covers, concluding that the best option is the one with both the lowest transmission and absorption values. This is achieved through vegetal covers, because solar obstruction is concluded to be the most important aspect to consider for achieving comfort conditions. In addition, the research shows various vegetation performance data, such as foliage transmissivity (20%) and foliage absorptivity (50%), and the fact that the average temperature of the leaves is the same as the ambient temperature. The relative humidity (RH) increases resulting from the application of vegetated systems had been previously analyzed (Cantuaria 2000) at the Architectural Association Graduate School of London. In the afternoon, humidity was found to be 9% higher in a vegetated building facade than in a vegetation-free facade. The main cause for this was the evapotranspiration of plants in the facade, which in addition produced a considerable cooling effect. A very similar research project was completed at Delft University of Technology (Stec et al. 2005). The objective of this project was to dene the thermal performance of a double-skin facade featuring climbing plants. A simulation model was developed to analyze the performance of this facade, verifying the benets to indoor climate, such as the mitigation of excessive temperature during the summer inside the chamber, thanks to the use of plants. This technical application was also mentioned as a starting point for translucent facades.

Fig. 1. Translucent facade with and without vegetation (image by F. Olivieri)

Methodology
Research Context Within the frame of the project for technological development of energy savings and energy producing in building envelopes (CECOS), this research has been conducted by the Department of Construction and Technology in Architecture (DCTA) of the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) with the collaboration of Intemper Espaola, a private company. This strategic and singular project is supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain, with the aim being to further the understanding of energetic efciency in buildings through the incorporation of bioclimatic and industrialization technologies. As a result, this research focuses on developing prototypes and building strategies to be implemented in social housing, where construction costs are lower, but always considering their overall sustainability (Eduardo Torroja Institute of Construction Science 2007). Project CECOS included the study of vegetated building elements and the analysis of their inuence in hydrothermal comfort, in addition to renaturalization as an urban improvement. This report discusses the energetic behavior of a translucent facade incorporating an intermediate green layer and focuses on determining its potential benets for both overheating protection and hygiene ventilation. Experimental Building At the end of 2007, two prototypes of the translucent facade were placed in an experimental building at Colmenar Viejo, Madrid (Neila Gonzlez et al. 2008). The monitoring work started in November 2008

under a previously designed procedure. The prototypes are identical, except for the green layer included in one of them (Fig. 1). Each facade to be analyzed is the exterior enclosure for an adiabatic space (180 3 180 3 240 cm, insulated with a 60-cm-thick polystyrene layer), so any energy exchange takes place through the facade. The accuracy of the presented experimental prototypes is veried on the basis of a comprehensive set of experimental data. Although not exactly matching actual behavior in a building, this conguration shows the efciency of the devices and allows direct comparison between them to determine the performance of the vegetation. These devices were developed and revised using Spanish Building Regulations (CTE). The climate of the area housing the experimental building inuenced both the procedure design and prototype dimensioning. Plant species to be used were previously considered with the aim of reintroducing native species adapted to the continental Mediterranean climate. This climate has hot summers and mild winters, during which the translucent facade will act as a thermal buffer. This facade is the source of the summertime monitoring data analyzed in this paper. Data measuring is still in progress. The assessment of wintertime conditions will be addressed in further reports. System Description The translucent green wall system has been designed to be an extra at greenhouse space with the incorporation of a vegetal element. It consists of three industrialized constructive layers that are placed consecutively to be halfway indoors and halfway outdoors: interior layer (sliding sash window), intermediate green layer (vertical vegetal system), and external layer (adjustable slat lattice) (Fig. 2). The constructive system was dimensioned to implement a strategy with the following features: hygiene ventilation, thermal ventilation, and solar protection. The size of the greenhouse space was adjusted to achieve suitable vegetation growth that could fully cover the chamber. The interior layer constitutes a Technal GXi sliding sash window. It consists of a two-panel sliding window (1,420 3 1,410 mm). A 9-mm ush polyamide thermal break for enhanced thermal performance was placed in the central cross junction and transoms. Double glazing (14 mm) and a cavity wall (12 mm) were also provided by sealing with ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber glazing gaskets.

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The intermediate green layer is conceived as a vertical system with the following components: metallic plant box with immersion self-irrigation system and timer control, steel helical cables as a standard for plants, and aluminum window case with metallic screws (Fig. 3). The composition of the substrate was selected after an analysis of suitable nutrients based on the species to be used: peat, expanded clay pellets (LECA), and worm compost. As a prevegetated facade, the substrate is placed in replaceable boxes of rigid cellular polypropylene plates (recyclable and reusable). This allows for fast
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Fig. 2. Front view of the three constructive layers: external layer (lattice of adjustable slats), intermediate green layer (vertical vegetal system), and interior layer (sliding sash window)

replacement of the vegetal element and the possibility of using nursery plants as a replacement. The key to the permeability of the whole element is accomplished through a geotextile sheet wrapping up the substrate. These permeable boxes are then placed over a gravel drain inside the plant box. The right percentage of moisture is achieved through the gravel with a polypropylene tube (20 mm) that facilitates the drainage of excess water. Deciduous vegetal species were used for energy-optimization purposes. During the summer, vegetal density determines a particular solar blocking factor that contributes savings in cooling. The appearance of the intermediate vegetal layer changes with the loss of leaves during winter, thus allowing for the maximum entrance of solar radiation and contributing to indoor thermal comfort. Another characteristic of the vegetation selected is the requirement of plants with minimal root growth to minimize substrate volume requirements and, consequently, prevent an increase in the weight of the plant box. In this particular case, climbing plants (Trachelospermum jasminoides) were used, as their fast growth rate was considered to be the best suitable for the research project. As for ease of maintenance and fast replacement, both features were made possible by the helical design of the plant standard. Also, this botanical selection was made considering the local climate to ensure the survival of the plants. Since rst plant placement in 2009, the jasmine has grown with light maintenance efforts: the sliding sash window allows for the manual removal of leaf waste during the change of seasons, so this operation may be considered to be part of domestic routines. The external layer regulates the thermal conditions of the greenhouse space by limiting airow and moisture as needed. This external wrapping is based on a truss/lattice of adjustable polycarbonate glass slats (5 mm) attached to an aluminum window case. The slats can be adjusted through a domotic system operated from inside the dwelling. Description of Measuring Instruments Used in M2 and M3 Probes are placed on the inside and outside of each layer of both modules to collect hydrothermal and light values. Temperature probes are installed on each prototype: two on the surface of the slats, two between the slats and the plants (where there is vegetation), and two between the plants and the sliding sash window (Fig. 4). Surface probes (PT-100 at 63 3 8 3 2 mm in three threads) that measure surface temperatures were placed inside each module. Ambient temperature probes (PT-100 cylindrical 100 3 6 mm in four threads) were used in the adiabatic rooms on the oor and ceiling. Exterior probes were inside a protection box to prevent damage by solar radiation. Lux meters were installed inside and outside, and data from a weather station were also considered. These probes work by collecting data in periods of 5 min. Then, an average of the three values collected (15 min) is calculated. Details about data and time are included in a spreadsheet, and the information is recorded by a data program. Five different monitoring positions were developed for each closure following an experimental protocol as detailed in Table 1 and Fig. 5. Selected Periods As mentioned previously, the aim of this research work is to test if the temperature in the module with vegetation (M3) is lower than the one registered in the module without vegetation (M2) during June, July, and August under summer comfort parameters. The approach used was to contrast data from specic days to verify the inuence of vegetation according to the position of each facade. The cases studied in detail excluded days affected by the following criteria:

Fig. 3. Section of constructive detail

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Fig. 4. Location of probes in each module

Table 1. Facade Positions Conguration Facade position 1 Slats entirely open Sliding sash window closed Door closed Facade position 2 Upper and lower slats open Sliding sash window closed Door closed Facade position 3 Slats entirely open Sliding sash window open Door open for rst week Facade position 4 Upper and lower slats open Sliding sash window open Door closed Facade position 5 Slats entirely open Sliding sash window open at night Door closed Facade position 6 Upper and lower slats open Sliding sash window open at night Door closed

Data to analyze, comparison between modules Evaluation of temperature differences caused by air movement, shadow, and evaporation effect of plants in both the chamber and closed modules Behavior of the vegetation inside the chamber Measurement of indoor thermal inuence without hygiene ventilation Facade position 2: ventilated chamber: convection airow from the bottom to the top of the chamber Expected results: reduced overheating inside the chamber and closed modules

Facade position 3: direct contact between outside air, indoor air, and air chamber Facade position 4: ventilated camera: convection airow from the bottom to the top of the chamber Behavior of the vegetation inside the chamber Expected results: reduced overheating inside the chamber and ventilated modules

Effect of air transmission from the ventilated chamber periodically heated by the sun Inuence of indoor temperature controlled by not mixing outside/indoor air, thanks to delayed opening of different enclosures Facade position 6: ventilated chamber: convection airow from the bottom to the top of the camera Behavior of the vegetation inside the chamber Induced effects from the presence of vegetation (shade and humidity) Expected results: reduced daytime overheating inside the chamber and ventilated modules through night ventilation

1. First, days during which the weather station failed were discarded, because no data about outside conditions were collected. 2. Then, the rst week of faade position 3 (FP3) was also discarded (July 17). The backdoor of the modules remained open these days, unnecessarily adding a new variable to this study. 3. Cloudy days were also avoided but will be analyzed in future reports. The solar irradiance (W=m2 ) on sunny days forms a Gaussian curve with its maximum value at noon. For cloudy days, this graph shows random peaks caused by solar obstruction from clouds. 4. Once sunny days were identied, their relevance was contrasted by considering daily horizontal irradiation. Days whose daily horizontal irradiation was not within the central 30% of the distribution of values around the monthly median (range

between 35 and 65%) were excluded. Moreover, the daily irradiation median was taken separately for each month, as it varies considerably from June to August. 5. Likewise, days selected by irradiation were arranged according to the daily average outside temperature and its maximum and minimum values. Atypical days were eliminated if the data were not within the central 30% of the distribution of values around the monthly median. 6. Lastly, differences in indoor temperatures were calculated from monitoring data. Daily peaks, time of day for measurements, and differences with outside temperatures were also calculated. For the illuminance analysis, the data collected from July to September by the M2 and M3 sensors have been studied to assess the light quality and modications caused by the translucent vegetal module in the illuminated areas.

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Fig. 5. Positions established in the experimental protocol

To choose the most homogeneous day range, solar radiation and illuminance (lux) daily data (W=m2 ) were divided every 10 days. This division guarantees that modications caused by the internal illuminance were generated by the vegetations shadow. Of these three isolated days per month, the analysis focuses on those which have medium values: June 12, July 15, August 14, and September 25.

Discussion and Results

Temperature Behavior Table 2 shows differences in temperature between M2 and M3 (DT M2M3 ). Considering the greenhouse effect caused by the facade, this variation reects the effect of the vegetation as a buffer, because the vegetal layer is the only difference between modules M2 and M3. In facade position 1 (FP1), the surface temperatures of the slats are almost the same in M2 and M3, with differences between 1 and 2C in the afternoon. The sliding interior surface in M3 is cooler than M2 from 1230 to 2200 hrs., reaching a 4.2C difference between 1600 and 1630 hrs. The camera is overheated in M2 from 1100 to 2100 hrs. in its lower zone, with a difference of 4.9C when the exterior temperature is at its maximum; but the upper zone is only overheated by 1.7C during that time. The average indoor temperature is lower in M3 than in M2. For over 5 h, this difference is over 3C at the ceiling (reaching 4.2C), and this is also the case for more than 6 h at the oor. Facade position 2 (FP2) closes all slats except the bottom and top ones. The surface temperature of the slats is quite similar to that in PF1, but for the sliding window surface, the noticeably higher temperatures in M2 last until 0200 hrs. In the chamber, the temperature is lower in M3 almost all through the day, reaching a 6.7C reduction in its lower zone. It is remarkable that this is the highest temperature oscillation between M2 and M3 in this study. The temperature in the upper zone was lower in M3 for 4 h, in opposition to that in FP1, where this was the case for less than 1 h. The indoor temperature is cooler all through the day in M3, where the difference is always over 1C at night and over 4C in the evening, reaching 4.2C between indoor oors. As a result of the ventilation through the doors, FP3 shows little difference between M2 and M3. The supercial temperature of the

slats is almost the same as that in FP1 or FP2, and the differences in the sliding sash window surface temperature are also slight. On the rest of the facade, the only relevant differences were under 2C in the lower chamber, and there was no indoor reduction over 1C for M3, making this the lowest temperature variation of the study. The sliding sash window is open in facade position 4 (FP4). Here, the surface temperature of the slats is quite similar to those in FP1, FP2, or FP3. The sliding sash window surface temperature is reduced at similar rates to those in FP3, but the chamber and indoor temperatures are signicantly higher. The lower chamber is overheated by up to 5.5C in M2, whereas the upper chamber is only 1C warmer in the afternoon. The indoor ceiling is slightly cooler in M3 but by no more than 2C and only in the afternoon. However, the indoor oor throws a difference of more than 2C for 5.5 h, with a high variation of 3.6C. Night ventilation begins with facade position 5 (FP5). As the supercial temperature of the slats shows little diference between M2 and M3, the sliding sash window supercial temperature is slightly reduced in M3 for more than 4 h. The upper chamber performs quite similarly to that in FP4, but the lower chamber temperature drops less in M3 than that in FP4 and for a shorter period of time with a maximum value of 4.6C. Nevertheless, the indoor temperature is much lower in M3, where it reaches a maximum difference of 4C in the ceiling and almost 4C in the oor for over 6 h. Finally, in facade position 6 (FP6), the supercial temperature of the slats is again almost the same in M2 and in M3, whereas the sliding sash window surface temperature is slightly cooler in M3 in the afternoon. No relevant differences were registered in the upper chamber. In the lowest part of the chamber, M3 was 3C cooler than M2 for 1 h. However, indoor temperature differences are more signicant than they are in FP5. Ceiling overheating in M2 over 4C lasts for 2 h 45 min and so does oor overheating, giving the highest indoor variation of this study (4.6C). Humidity in the Intermediate Green Layer Moisture is the mass of water per unit volume of air. The RH is the ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air compared with the maximum amount of water vapor that air could hold at that temperature and is given as a percentage value. This parameter is studied regarding the inuence of temperature to determine the performance of the vegetal solution. In summer conditions, the maximum RH values at the intermediate green layer of M3 were recorded between 0600 and 0915 hrs., whereas minimum values were registered between 1645 and 1915 hrs. These measurements match the lowest and highest temperature values, respectively, because of the inverse relationship between temperature and humidity. As the temperature increases, the ability to contain water increases, and therefore, RH decreases. With low temperatures, RH increases. This was also the case in M2, but the curve obtained was below the one recorded for M3. The difference in this parameter between the two prototypes is attributable to the evapotranspiration process of plants inside M3. Water is absorbed by plant roots through vascular tissues and then released through their stomata. The use of building bioclimatic charts (Givoni 1969) allows the visualization of the measurements of the highest/lowest temperatures and the effect of vegetation on RH. The comfort zone spans between 21 and 26C dry temperature, with acceptable comfort extending to 2027C. The 75% RH limit can reach 80% on the higher end of the spectrum and 20% on the lower. This is the range in which the human body requires a minimum energy loss to adjust to external environmental conditions. During the summer, the

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Table 2. Temperature Variation between M2 and M3 with Vegetation Buffer Intensity and Duration FP1 Facade position Slats Sliding Door Measure
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FP2 Night Day Night Day

FP3 Night Day

FP4 Night Day

FP5 Night Day

FP6 Night

Day

Entirely open Closed Closed

Lower and upper open Closed Closed

Entirely open Open Open

Lower and upper open Open Closed Open Closed

Entirely open Closed Closed Open Closed

Lower and upper open Closed Closed Open Closed

Duration (maximum DT ) 3 h 15 min (1.9C) 5 h 15 min 3 h 30 min 1 h 30 min 30 min (4.2C) 45 min (1.7C) 2 h 45 min 1 h 30 min 3 h 15 min 1 h 15 min 15 min (4.9C) 3 h 30 min 4 h 15 min 3 h 45 min 1 h 30 min (4.2C) 5 h 30 min 4 h 45 min 6 h 15 min (3.7C) 2h 1 h (2.4C) 9 h 15 min 2 h 15 min 1 h 45 min 1 h (4.2C) 3 h 30 min 1 h (2.2C) 1 h 45 min 1 h 45 min 1 h 45 min 1 h 45 min 1 h 45 min 1 h (6.7C) 12 h 45 min 6h 2 h 45 min 1 h 15 min (4.1C) 9 h 15 min 7h 3 h 45 min 3 h 45 min (4.4C) 30 min (1.1C) 1 h 30 min (1.5C) (0.6C) 4 h (1.7C) (0.4C) (0.9C) 45 min (1.1C) 3 h 45 min (1.9C) 30 min (1.1C) 3 h 15 min 3h 2h 2 h 15 min 2 h 45 min (5.5C) 3 h (1.4C) 4 h 30 min 3h 2 h 30 min (3.6C) 1 h 45 min (1.5C) 2 h 30 min 2 h (2.7C) 1 h 15 min (1.4C) 6h 3h 45 min 30 min (4.6C) 3h 1h 3 h 30 min 15 min (4.0C) 4 h 30 min 2 h 45 min 3 h 30 min (3.8C) 30 min (1.1C) 3 h 15 min 45 min (2.5C) (0.8C) 3 h 15 min 4h 1 h 15 min (3.9C) 3 h 30 min 1h 1h 2 h 45 min (4.6C) 3 h 30 min 2h 1 h 15 min 2 h 45 min (4.5C)

Slats surface DT . 1C DT . 2C Sliding surface DT . 1C DT . 2C DT . 3C DT . 4C Upper camera DT . 1C DT . 2C Lower camera DT . 1C DT . 2C DT . 3C DT . 4C DT . 5C DT . 6C Indoor ceiling DT . 1C DT . 2C DT . 3C DT . 4C Indoor oor DT . 1C DT . 2C DT . 3C DT . 4C

vegetation at M3 brings indoor conditions closer to the comfort zone than those at M2. On a typical summer day, when slats are opened and the sliding door is closed, a constant RH difference of up to 10% is generated in M3. This is solely accounted for by the vegetation inside the chamber (Fig. 6). On a typical day, when the slats, the sliding sash window, and the module door are all open, cross ventilation is created, and the RH values increase uniformly during the day. If the sliding door is closed inside the chamber, moisture concentrates further, causing the outside air temperature to drop when the sliding sash window is opened. After 1500 hrs., the radiation is higher, and the RH curve starts to decrease, reaching its lowest value late in the afternoon. This incident energy is absorbed by the surface of the leaves and is used for evapotranspiration, thus making heat increases in M3 lower than those in M2. Humidity inside Prototype In general, the indoor RH is almost the same in M2 and M3, but on a typical day when the facade position changes during the day, there is a difference that can reach 10% when comparing both the highest and lowest values (Fig. 7).

Fig. 6. Variation of RH for a typical summer day when slats are open and the sliding door is closed

Illuminance Analysis The rst comparison is performed on illuminance data (lux) collected by sensors M2_L_66 and M3_L_71. Both are located at

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Table 3. Average Illuminance (Lux) Figures Day June 12, 2009 July 15, 2009 August 14, 2009 September 25, 2009 Probe M2_L_66 301 217 332 382 Probe M3_L_71 227 166 203 199 D Average illuminance 74 51 129 183 D (%) 25 23 38 48

Table 4. Average Illuminance (Lux) Figures

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Day June 12, 2009 July 15, 2009 August 14, 2009 September 25, 2009

Probe M2_L_69 347 241 921 1,316

Probe M3_L_71 227 166 203 199

D Average illuminance 120 75 718 1,117

Fig. 7. Variation of RH for a typical summer day when there is a change in the facade position during the day

a distance of 1.80 m, but their behaviors are very similar. On June 12, differences between sensors are recorded between 1030 and 2030 hrs.; at 1630 hrs., the difference between them is 300 lx. On July 15, differences are recorded between 1100 and 2000 hrs., and the maximum difference is obtained at 1600 hrs. (300 lx). On August 14, differences are recorded between 1000 and 2000 hrs., and they peak at 1600 hrs. (450 lx). Finally, for September 25, differences are recorded from 0900 to 2200 hrs., peaking at 1500 hrs. (400 lx). The maximum average difference in illumination is about 362.5 lx. The average illuminance values for these days suggest that the difference increased by month (Table 3). The second comparison is made using only M3 data, and it is intended to study the peaks of light produced by the irregular vegetation shadow. The data obtained show how irregular the variation between the sensors is. Some days are completely uniform (July 15), others show small variations (June 12), and nally, there are days with enormous differences such as August 14 (D 5 7,000 lx) and September 25 (D 5 3,750 lx). The difference between average values for each sensor on those days shows high peaks, reecting the irregular lighting of the space (Table 4).

Indoor Temperature Variation The only facade position where indoor DT M2M3 was not signicant is FP3. On the other hand, FP1 and FP2 showed the highest DT M2M3 both in buffer duration and intensity, but these are cases without ventilation. In every case, the maximum values of DT M2M3 are quite similar for the ceiling and oor, except for FP4, where the indoor ceiling value is much lower than that in the rest of the positions because of the fact that the sliding sash window remained open all day. This ventilation has the same inuence in terms of the duration of the effect over FP4s indoor ceiling, which is almost irrelevant. However, the cases where only night ventilation (FP5 and FP6) was used registered the most similar values for indoor DT M2M3 at the ceiling and oor. When just the upper and lower slats were opened during the day (FP2 and FP3), the peak value for DT M2M3 was higher, reaching up to 4.6C. This is the result of facade positions allowing the circulation of heated air out of the chamber and the entry of outside cool air. Consequently, the plants themselves help to circulate air through the chamber as seen in Table 1. Humidity Inuence This prototype can be used in areas with hot summers to enhance thermal indoor conditions. It is not only a hygiene ventilation system but also a cooling prototype, because it reduces the temperature through the inuence of RH in combination with ventilation. The performance of the constructive system worked properly regarding solar protection, as its implementation contributed a noticeable decrease in overheating inside M3. Through RH, vegetation reduced the temperature of the outside air being introduced into the structures. Also, the presence of vegetation generated a natural breeze. This contributed to the generation of airow because of the imbalance between air masses and their different densities. As a result of the RH increase in M3, the grams of water vapor per kilogram of air (specic humidity) rose at the intermediate green layer. At the same time, enthalpy values considering sensible and latent heat also increased because of the water vapor. The key to this fact is related to a facade design conceived in three constructive layers, where several strategies (incorporation of vegetation, greenhouse space, and adjustable enclosure layer) are integrated in the same system, resulting in better performance in terms of hydrothermal balance. Hydrothermal Conclusion: Vegetation Behavior The difference in temperatures between M2 and M3 (DT M2M3 ) is only inuenced by the vegetation inside the chamber. The variation

Conclusions
Hydrothermal Performance Chamber Temperature Variation As an overall trend, vegetation implies lower temperature variation throughout the day. This fact causes a lower peak temperature in the afternoon in M3 than it does in M2 but also may inhibit air cooling during the night, depending on the facade position and its ventilation. There is a great DT M2M3 between the upper and lower zones of the chamber that reaches its maximum levels in FP4, when the sliding sash window remains open. In almost every facade position, the upper chamber shows less inuence from vegetation. Any upper chamber reaches a DT M2M3 value of 3C, with FP3 being the only lower chamber where this is not the case. To clarify this aspect, DT M2M3 is more relevant when there is no ventilation at night, because its effect lasts longer in FP1, FP2, and FP4. Considering Fig. 8, the maximum DT M2M3 in the chamber is reached in the lower chamber zone for FP2 when the upper and lower slats are open and the sliding window is closed. The lowest DT M2M3 inside the chamber appears in the upper FP3 zone when the device is most ventilated.

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Fig. 8. Variation in M2-M3 temperature in the chamber and indoors

of the opening in this chamber modies this inuence, leading to an inappreciable effect of the presence of plants in FP3 when the slats, the sliding sash window, and the door are entirely open, but reaching its highest overheating damping effect when this chamber is closed. In contrast to this, the surface temperature of the slats is almost the same in M2 and M3, because the vegetal layer does not block incident solar radiation. Considering both thermal and humidity studies, the internal vegetal layer helps to moderate summer conditions to comfortable ones. Plants mitigate summer overheating thanks to three processes. First and most evident, plant leaves partially block incident solar radiation, avoiding the direct heating of vertical elements and the oor, as seen in the luminance study. Second, the higher moisture concentration in the chamber of the facade containing plants forces the expulsion of heat through the open slats. This increases the ventilation of the chamber, enhancing buffer performance. Finally, the evapotranspiration of plants and the ventilation through the chamber brings cool air inside the module. This air is inuenced by its contact with the foliage, as seen in the thermal study of FP4. As a consequence, the combination of the use of vegetation as solar protection and thermal buffers is suitable to mitigate dry summer conditions and offers a way to save energy through reduced mechanical conditioning. Illuminance Performance Translucent green wall systems reduce interior average illuminance between 23 and 48%. The minimum levels of illuminance required by the UNE-EN_1264 norm are not met, so supporting electric lighting should be used in the room.

Indirect glare also occurs as a result of the irregular shadow cast by vegetation that would require the application of screens to reduce this effect and achieve visual comfort. Recommendations and Future Research The combination of plants and translucent enclosures has been shown to be a constructive way to reduce solar radiation into buildings, helping to produce lower temperatures in the summer and controlling RH (and its inuence would be greater in dry-summer climates). The complex building components of this experimental facade make it relatively expensive and not suitable for social housing, but current research is focused on lowering the cost of its components. Once the inuence of permeability on the exterior layer has been studied, it is possible that cheaper solutions (such as metal mesh fabrics) could achieve similar results. Furthermore, if the exterior layer does not have any ventilation, the described climber plants will not survive. To spread the use of these facades, it is interesting to consider similar studies in other climatic regions and for other seasonal periods. Future research on the experimental buildings described in this paper will include monitoring M2 and M3 in different seasons. The aim is to conrm the thermal performance suggested regardless of the monthly values and day-type singularities shown in this study. Also, there is a vegetation monitoring model in progress based on previous reports (Cheng et al. 2010), because plant foliage development has been shown to be the most relevant factor in overheating-mitigation values. Moreover, it is pertinent to study the efciency of the different species that can be used in this enclosure, with the possibility of them being native to each region.

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Acknowledgments
The funds provided for this research by Intemper Espaola are gratefully acknowledged. The authors are also thankful to Professor Javier Neila and Professor Csar Bedoya for their signicant contributions.

References
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