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INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

Don’t Stop BeLEAFing: A Study on the

Benefits of Vertical Gardens
Written by: Devika Elakara
Class: Independent Research I GT
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Shepard
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I. ABSTRACT

Environmentalism and global development seem to be contradicting subjects at first. Vertical gardens are bridging
the barrier between the two by allowing cities to become more eco-friendly. By allowing plants to grow vertically on
walls and on the exterior of buildings, cities have the potential to bring many herbaceous advantages to their urban
environment. This paper explores the different types of vertical gardens and the numerous benefits they provide.
Vertical gardens can act as a natural air filter and air cooling unit. Furthermore, the addition of plants to cities and
workplaces has proven to be beneficial to human health and well being. Urban gardening also beautifies
infrastructure and creates a nature aesthetic that is calming and attractive. Finally, vertical gardens can be an
efficient way to grow food in areas where there is limited agricultural space. Through vertical gardens, urban
development is on the path to becoming more environmentally friendly.

II. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………….2-3
Literature Review
A. Types of Green Infrastructure Systems ……………………………………………….3
B. Problems Associated With Urbanization ……………………………………………..4-5
C. Using Plants for Human and Environmental Benefit …………………………………5-6
Data Collection ………………………………………………………………………………………6-12
Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………..13
References …………………………………………………………………………………………..13-15

III. INTRODUCTION
Our world is a constantly changing creative network that generates new ideas every day. A lot of innovative ideas
come from cities, many of which provide a surplus of diverse opportunities for students, researchers, and
dreamers. Cities face a rapid growth rate these days due to the increasing number of residents looking for
opportunities and a chance to follow their dreams. However, with this rapid development comes the environmental
challenges created by an industrialized and urban community. Temperatures are usually higher in these areas,
while volatile organic compounds, smog and air pollution are not uncommon. Cities are also wasting resources
and food at an alarming rate. It is the job of environmentally conscious urban designers and architects to take
these factors into effect and design the cities of the future. A big challenge that cities face when trying to integrate
plants with urbanization is that there is very limited space for the plants to grow properly. One solution to this
problem is the vertical garden. These gravity defying structures are providing cities with new ways to incorporate
nature into their infrastructure, while sticking true to urban appeal. Vertical greenery systems provide the benefits of
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plants to people both indoors and outdoors, and help combat many issues cities face today: greenhouse gases,
rising temperatures, volatile organic compounds, food shortage, etc… By blurring the line between building and
nature, urban developers can make sure that our cities are eco-friendly, beautiful, and self-sustainable.

Research Question: How can multiple purpose vertical gardening systems be used for indoor and urban
environments?
Thesis: Vertical gardens are multi-purpose structures that help urban areas improve their environmental footprint,
while promoting well being, beauty, and a sustainable future.

III. LITERATURE REVIEW

A. Types of Green Infrastructure Systems
There are two main types of vertical gardens: green facades and living walls. Green facades are a “kind of vertical
garden in which climbing vegetations are designed and trained to grow and cover a designated support
system” (Shiah, K., & Kim, J., 2011). These systems are not appropriate for every type of urban greenery project.
Green facades are more suited for supporting herbaceous climbers and vines (Tilley, D., Matt, S., Schumann, L.,
Kangas, P., 2014). The vegetation can be planted in the ground or planter boxes and will climb up the wall, filling
the vertical surface with greenery (Manso, M., & Castro-Gomes, J., 2015). This method of vertical gardening can
be very effective, but it is not appropriate for large scale projects. Large vertical gardens that are seen on
skyscrapers and high rise buildings are usually built using the living wall method. Living walls, unlike green facades,
are a “kind of vertical garden in which vegetations are pre-planted onto panels or planters” (Shiah, K., & Kim, J.,
2011). In living walls, the plants grow outwards from the wall, rather than growing upwards onto the wall. This
system is more efficient for large gardens, for it “allow[s] a rapid coverage of large surfaces and a more uniform
growth along the vertical surface, reaching higher areas and adapting to all kinds of buildings. They also allow the
integration of a wider variety of plant species” (Manso, M., & Castro-Gomes, J., 2015). Living walls are not
restricted in the types of plants it can sustain. They do not have to be creepers, but can be succulents, cacti,
ferns, and edibles. The type of vertical garden that is chosen for a built structure will vary with the conditions of
each project (Sheweka, S., & Magdy, A. N., 2011). A third type of vertical garden that is more commonly used in
amateur projects and households is the felt system. The felt system consists of plants being fitted into growing felt
pockets which is then connected to a structure behind (Loh, S., 2008). This system is often connected to a
moisture drip system that drips water through the felt, that the plants then absorb. The felt system system is useful
for beginners who want to start their own vertical garden, but is not necessarily appropriate for large scale projects
in major cities.
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B. Problems Associated With

Urbanization
Vertical gardens have many benefits and have the
unique ability to raise awareness for
environmental problems while mitigating them
simultaneously. As urbanization continues to
grow on the planet, so do the issues that come
with it. There is one solution to combat the many
issues that come with development and
infrastructure: plants. A big problem many urban
areas face today is the Urban Heat Island effect
(UHI). Heavily populated cities and human
activities cause temperatures to be higher than
neighboring rural areas (Environmental Protection
Agency, 2018). This is partially due to the
abundance of buildings and asphalt roofing.
Infrastructure uses up a lot of energy, generating
a lot of heat. With fossil fuels being used at an
alarming rate, the world needs to find a way to
reduce energy consumption. Vertical gardens
can improve the energy performance of buildings
(Perini, K., 2014), thanks to their major cooling
potential. Their ability to cool buildings is proven
successful in Di and Wang’s study. Their study
One Central Park building in Sydney, Australia
(shown in Loh, S., 2008) shows, “the cooling
effect of greenery on a west wall in Beijing
reduced the peak-cooling load transfer to the building’s interior on a clear summer day by 28 per cent.” Using
plants as a natural air conditional has many advantages. So much money can be saved from using vertical
gardens instead of excessive technical air conditioning and cooling systems.

Along with cooling down urban regions, vertical gardens can combat CO2 reduction in cities (Sheweka, S., &
Magdy, A. N., 2011) through their wonderful ability to absorb toxins. This characteristic of herbage can help cities
reduce air pollution and clean their surrounding environment. Jennifer Shepard, a Maryland biology teacher, says,
“I believe that plants do a really good job of cleaning the air of pollutants as well as keeping the humidity at a level
that’s really optimal for us as humans.” By absorbing the toxins in the air, vertical gardens release clean oxygen for
the people living in the cities, creating healthier living conditions. This “plant power” is proven by National
Geographic, which states that “A green wall in a street canyon trapped or absorbed large amounts of nitrogen
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dioxide and particulate matter—both pollutants harmful to people” (Pictures: Green Walls May Cut Pollution in
Cities, 2016). Their ability to absorb toxins can become very useful for indoor environments as well. A big problem
facing buildings today are Volatile Organic Chemicals (or VOCs). These are air pollutants that are released from day
to day objects, such as paint, furniture, cosmetics, fabrics, and detergents (Volatile Organic Compounds, 2017).
VOCs are harmful, yet unavoidable, air pollutants. Some health problems they can induce include headaches,
kidney/liver damage, and
sick building syndrome.
Sick building syndrome is
a “situation in which the
occupants of a building
experience acute health-
or comfort-related effects
that seem to be linked
directly to the time spent
in the building” (Joshi
2008). Plants do a great
job keeping VOC levels
low thanks to their
absorbing power. Vertical
gardens are increasingly
being placed indoors to Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia
alleviate sick building
syndrome for inhabitants of
these polluted indoor spaces (Sheweka, S., & Magdy, A. N. 2011). This simple plant power is not just being used
on Earth. Astronauts use plants to keep their space habitat air purified and clean. Since they have no way to
replenish or filter the air otherwise, plants would allow them to reduce the levels of VOCs in livable satellites, like
the International Space Station (Wolverton, B., Johnson, A., & Bounds, K., 1989).

C. Using Plants to Human and Environmental Benefit

Plants do more than just clean the environment; they help people. It has been proven that being in nature improves
emotional states and eases many mental health issues (Han, K., 2008). This is a wonderful benefit for workplaces
and schools, for “views of nature and landscape paintings, as well as indoor plants, are all associated with
increased positive affect and comfort” (Evans, G. W, 2003). Adding more plants to schools would help increase
positive attitudes and interest in learning. It would also provide natural beauty. Urbanization has a reputation of
being detrimental to the environment. Blurring the line between plants and buildings would allow cities to become
more beautiful and clean. Aesthetic appeal is something that subconsciously applies to all places. People are
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naturally attracted to places that look nice. By improving the beauty and cleanliness of cities, city residents will be
overall more happy with their homes. There is something special about the Earth’s natural state that calms and
soothes humans. If this nature aesthetic is applied to all cities, it would bring about great mental, psychological,
and artistic benefits.

Another benefit of vertical gardens is the ability to increase urban agricultural space. The reason vertical gardening
needs to be explored apart from horizontal gardening is because most cities are ground space limited. One of the
biggest problems facing agriculture in cities is that there just isn't an availability of space (Rodale Institute, 2016).
Plants need room to grow, yet buildings and infrastructure cover the majority of cityscapes. Major urban hubs do
not have the area to build large efficient community gardens. That’s where building exteriors and walls come in. By
growing these gardens upwards, not outwards, people can efficiently use the space for planting crops and
growing produce. Ted Talk speaker Britta Riley mentions how she was able to “grow about a salad a week in a
typical New York City apartment window” (Riley, B., 2011). If every building in New York City had a garden on their
building, the amount of food grown would be quite substantial.

Ultimately, vertical gardens are quite innovative structures that are helping the upcoming generation of cities
become greener and more environmentally conscious. Everyone can impact the future of urban gardening and in
return everyone can benefit from it. Environmental scientists, politicians, and architects are “touting plant-covered
tower blocks as a way to tackle air pollution and improve the quality of urban life” (Carter, T., 2017). For in the end,
vertical gardens can only work to their fullest extend if the people decide to implement them and maintain them
(Abel, C., 2010). The future of sustainable development rests in the hands of the people who believe that they can
bring about positive change to our urban environment.

IV. DATA COLLECTION

The data collection of this research was specifically focused on the cooling potential of vertical gardening
structures. Four articles dealing with the effectiveness of cooling through vertical gardens were analyzed and
synthesized. The research design used is qualitative and the research method used is meta-analysis.
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# Name Authors Date Summary Similarities Differences

1 Assessment of the Rafael 20 July The study tested (w/2) Both (w/2) While
Cooling Potential of an Fernández- 2011 4 substrates, articles agree Article one
Indoor Living Wall Cañero, Luis Geotextile, that vertical discusses
using Different Pérez Epiweb, Xaxim gardens have more on the
Substrates in a Warm Urrestarazu, and coconut great potential materials
Climate Antonio fibre, to see as cooling about the wall,
Franco Salas which had the mechanisms; Article 2
best performance they also talk discusses how
overall. The walls about how the Penman
were tested in a vertical gardens Monteith
hall at a can be used in Equation can
University. This a larger scale in be used to
paper concludes cities and urban predict the
that vertical communities wall’s
gardens are an (w/3) Both performance.
efficient, beautiful, articles again (w/3) Article 3
and healthy way discuss the use is definitely a
to cool and filter of greenery in meta-analysis
the air in an urban paper. It gives
indoor landscapes. a broad outline
environment. Explains how of many
greenery can be different
used to cool the studies, but
Urban Heat hits many
Island UHI relevant
effect, which topics.
can relate back (w/4) Article 1
to Article 1. puts more
Discusses types emphasis on
of materials and substrate uses
wall styles (sec and pros and
3.2.2) , which is cons. This
also a main article uses
topic in Article that
1. information
(w/4) Both and
articles mention incorporates it
using different into an
substrates for experiment to
assessing test vertical
vertical garden gardens ability
performance. to function as
swamp
coolers.
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# Name Authors Date Summary Similarities Differences

2 The potential for Michael Maks 24 Investigation of (w/1) Both (w/1) Article 1
vertical gardens as Davis, March how the Penman articles agree talks about the
evaporative coolers: Stephanie 2015 Monteith that vertical different
An adaptation of the Hirmer Equation, gardens have substrates and
‘Penman Monteith “predicts the rate great potential how they each
Equation’ of total as cooling contribute to
evaporation and mechanisms; vertical garden
transpiration from they also talk systems;
the earth's about how Article 2 gives
surface using vertical gardens more detail
commonly can be used in about how the
measured a larger scale in Penman
weather cities and urban Monteith
data”(Penman- communities Equation can
Monteith (w/3) Both be used to
equation), can be articles discuss predict the
used to predict the Urban Heat performance
the vertical Island effect of the garden.
garden’s cooling (UHI) and (w/3) Article 3
performance. suggest gives a whole
Concludes that incorporating overview
the vertical urban about the
gardens actually vegetation to articles, while
perform better cool the areas. this article
than the Both articles describes
mathematical have provided using a
equation specific mathematical
predicted. temperature equation to
changes over predict the
time in major vertical
cities as well. gardens
(w/4) Both performance.
articles discuss (w/4) This
the potential for article bases
vertical gardens the entire
to be used as study around
evaporative/ the Penman
swamp coolers. Monteith
Both provide Equation,
the exact same while Article 4
four does not.
mechanisms in
cooling systems
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# Name Authors Date Summary Similarities Differences

3 Evaluating the Impact Badrulzaman Nov This article is a (w/1) Both (w/1) Article 1
of Vertical Greenery Jaafar, Ismail 2011 meta-analysis articles go into goes into more
System on Cooling Said, Mohd study. The paper detail about detail about
Effect on High Rise Hisyam Rasidi starts off with different types the substrates
Buildings and explaining the of vertical and their
Surroundings: A problem of cities gardening individual pros
Review and their systems and and cons,
increasing materials. Both while this
temperatures due agree that article gives a
to rapid vertical gardens broad
urbanization, and can provide overview
proposes cities and about the
incorporating buildings with different
greenery into the many structures and
cityscape to environmental uses overall of
combat the heat. (and other) vertical
The paper gives benefits. gardens.
vertical garden (w/2) Both (w/2) Article 2
benefits in provide also takes a
multiple information more
categories about different mathematical
(environmental, types of vertical approach to
aesthetic, garden the problem,
economic, etc…). structures and while this
Also compares different building article gives a
different types of techniques. synthesis of
vertical gardens. They both also information.
discuss the UHI (w/4) While
and propose they both
using urban discuss using
greenery to vertical
tackle rising gardens to
temperatures. solve
(w/4) Gives very environment
similar related
introduction problems in
information urban
(rising heat in environments,
cities, and rapid they have
urbanization) different
means of
approaching it.
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# Name Authors Date Summary Similarities Differences

4 Vertical Gardens as M.J.M.Davis, 2015 Tests how vertical (w/1) Both (w/1) Article 1
Swamp Coolers F. Ramírez, gardens can be articles mention puts more
A.L.Vallejo used as swamp using different emphasis on
coolers, similar to substrates for substrate uses
an evaporative assessing and pros and
cooler. Coolers vertical garden cons. This
pass an airflow performance. article uses
through a (w/2) Both that
substrate. It can articles discuss information
be used as a the potential for and
natural air vertical gardens incorporates it
conditioner in hot to be used as into an
dry climates, and evaporative/ experiment to
poverty stricken swamp coolers. test vertical
areas. Both provide gardens ability
the exact same to function as
four swamp
mechanisms in coolers.
cooling systems (w/2) While
(w/3) Gives very this article
similar does not
introduction mention the
information Penman
(rising heat in Monteith
cities, and rapid Equation, the
urbanization). other one
bases the
entire study
around it.
(w/3) While
they both
discuss using
vertical
gardens to
solve
environment
related
problems in
urban
environments,
they have
different
means of
approaching it.
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Rationale
This research was looking at the structure and overall performance of vertical gardening systems and how their
cooling potential affects our cities and urban environments. Meta analysis is the best data collection method for
this study, because it does not fall in any of the other categories. This project deals with incorporating innovative
greenery into urbanization, and that is not a topic one can visually observe within the span of a month and take
notes on. This is also an unpractical research topic for the experiment method. One cannot test the effects of a
vertical garden in one month and expect to get accurate results. There are also not enough accessible people in
this field for a student to conduct a questionnaire, so a survey would not work. Meta analysis is the best method
because one can look at past projects on vertical gardening from all around the world and analyze how effective
they are in cooling both outdoor and indoor environments in different parts of the Earth. One can use these
sources and synthesize a review paper, analyzing all the sources and drawing conclusions, answering the research
question, “How can multiple purpose vertical gardening systems be used for indoor and urban environments?”
The four articles used in the data collection were selected for their similarity in main idea and question. Even
though there are many differences between the four
articles, they are all looking at an overall main idea, and
can all be tied to each other through similarities found
within the text.

Analysis
The data synthesized from the four articles can be
connected through various comparisons found. Although
the articles are different in their approaches to the
question, they all conclude the following: vertical gardens
provide many benefits for urban environments in many
different aspects. Article 1 provides valuable information
about different substrates (materials) and their pros and
cons. Commonly used materials include Geotextile,
Figure A. Source: (Jaafar, B., Said, I., & Rasidi, M. H., 2011)
Epiweb, Xaxim and coconut fibre (Fernández-Cañero, R.,
Urrestarazu, L. P., & Salas, A. F., 2011). This is the
material that the plants grow in, and can affect their overall performance in multiple categories. All the substrates
were suitable to support plant life, but some performed better than others. Overall, the study showed that
Geotextile had the best performance (especially in cooling) out of all the substrates tested, while Epiweb
performed the poorest. Coconut fibre has the advantage of being organic, however it demonstrated some
degradation problems.

Vertical gardens can be separated into two different groups: green facades and living walls (Fernández-Cañero, R.,
et al., 2011). Green facades are similar to the “support system,” where climbing plants grow upwards and are
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rooted at the base. Living walls, on the other hand, are similar to the “carrier system.” These mechanisms have
plants that are rooted to the wall’s substrate and grow outwards, rather than upwards (Fernández-Cañero, R., et
al., 2011). Article 3 corroborates this information, as seen in Figure A. Article 3 also mentions that living walls have
a greater variety of plants that can be used, since they do not necessarily have to be climbing plants (Jaafar, B.,
Said, I., & Rasidi, M. H., 2011). This can become useful for areas where vines and creepers cannot grow. This
difference in structures is one architects have to consider when designing urban greenery systems.

Article 2 surrounds its research on the “Penman Monteith Equation,” and focuses on being able to predict a
vertical garden’s cooling performance using a mathematical model (Davis, M. M., & Hirmer, S., 2015). While this
information is not necessarily relevant to the research question, it is still important. The study found that the vertical
gardens tested actually performed better than the math had predicted, which provides favorable outlooks toward
the future of sustainable development. The researchers compare their results with a study by M.J.M. Davis and F.
Ramírez. Davis and Ramírez are the same researchers who contributed to writing Article 4, and their results can be
corroborated with one another. Both Articles 2 and 4 conclude that vertical gardens have great potential to be
used as swamp/evaporative coolers. These are systems that cool the air through water evaporation. Natural
evaporative coolers can be proven as a useful mechanism to combat rising air temperatures.

Furthermore, the articles provide similar information about real world application. Article 4 announces a 15°C
increase in temperature in cities compared to non-urbanized areas (Davis, M., Ramírez, F., & Vallejo, A., 2015).
Article 2 provides the exact same statistics, declaring that “the heat increase in urban areas can be up to 15 C
when compared to non-urbanised surroundings” (Jaafar, B., et al., 2011). This is caused by the Urban Heat Island
(UHI) Effect, which is explained in Articles 2 and 3. The UHI effect is the phenomena that causes urban areas to
have slightly higher average temperatures than non-urbanized areas (Davis, M. M., & Hirmer, S., 2015). Using
urban greenery as an evaporative cooler can mitigate the UHI effect, since the vegetation will be cooling the air.

Additionally, another wonderful benefit gained from vertical gardens are the aesthetics. The use of vegetation in
designing buildings is seen as a way to construct “greener” skylines and provide people a connection with nature
(Davis, M., Ramírez, F., & Vallejo, A., 2015). Often, the term urbanization is associated with ideas like “pollution”
and “smog”. Vertical gardens are an innovative way to bring nature back into cities and improve human well being.
Psychology Today found that the presence of plants, compared to their absence, has been known to improve
attendance, increase job satisfaction, raise productivity, and lower blood pressure (Kaplan, J., 2009). Incorporating
greenery into infrastructure can provide a great deal of benefits for people and the environment. 


This synthesis of data concludes that vertical gardens have been proven as extremely beneficial to cities and
buildings in improving air quality, mitigating the Urban Heat Island Effect, and stabilizing human wellbeing through
aesthetic appeal.
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V. CONCLUSION


Our world is constantly evolving and developing as new technologies emerge, so it is humanity’s job to make sure
we protect the environment accordingly. The information extrapolated from this study can be used as a backbone
for urban planners and architects when planning out communities and cities. They need to be more aware of the
environment and make sure that that our cities are sustainably developed. The successful nature of all these
projects are a big step up for sustainable development, making sure that we are strengthening our economy,
improving mental health, combating pollution, and improving air quality. Vertical gardens are a step towards a more
sustainable architectural footprint, and hopefully can inspire many more people to be eco-aware with urban
development, especially in third world countries. Following environmentally friendly practices during initial
development stages in these areas will truly inform and inspire the oncoming generations about protecting our
future and making the world better for both people and all other living organisms on this planet.

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