Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
and to evaluate the real sustainability (environmental and economic) of these
(Perini et al.
2012
). The many greening systems available on the market allows
combining nature and the built environment to improve the environmental quality
in urban areas; for example, green façades and living wall systems offer more
surfaces with vegetation and, at the same time, contributes to the improvement of
the thermal performance of buildings.
As earlier stated, the largest uncovered surfaces in cities are rooftops, as these
surfaces offer a great potential for urban agriculture. New York is an example
where already many projects are established. The Brooklyn Grange, a rooftop farm
business in Long Island (United States) is one of the largest of these projects. Also
in the Netherlands a few projects exist. De Dakakker in Rotterdam and Zuidpark in
Amsterdam are the most successful examples. Urban agriculture is a nice example
to educate city dwellers and to connect them again with the whole food production
chain (Dakakkers
2013
). Urban agricultural projects are also a tool to stimulate
social cohesion between citizens (Farming the city
2013
).
6.3 Air Quality Improvement with Vegetation
All plants will help to ameliorate the effects of air pollution. This can be done at the
microclimatic scale, but in the case of many green structures also at larger scale.
Leaves of plants provide a large surface area (Fig.
6.4
a, b), which is capable of
filtering out particulate matter (PM
x
) and other pollutants such as NO
x
(conversion to
nitrate (NO
3
) and nitrite (NO
2
)) and CO
2
in daytime. A green façade will block the
movement of particulate matter particles along the side of a building and filter them
(Minke and Witter
1982
). Vegetation has a large collecting surface area and
promotes also vertical transport by enhancing turbulence (Fowler et al.
2001
;
Fig. 6.4
a Dust on European Holly (Ilex aquifolium) leaves near an unpaved road. b Micrograph
(ESEM) of fine dust on common ivy (Hedera helix) leaf
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