Quantifying potential contributions of green facades to environmental justice: a case study of a quarter in Berlin

Abstract

The potential of green facades (GFs) to enhance environmental justice (EJ) has not been quantified so far. EJ in Berlin, Germany is assessed by the core indicators (1) noise pollution, (2) air pollution, (3) bioclimatic stress, (4) provision of green space and (5) social status. Most of the inner city is rated “poorly” in one or multiple indicators. Based on literature and spatial data, status quo and target values are determined for indicators (1)-(4) for an exemplary, highly burdened quarter in Berlin. It is assessed if and how much GFs could potentially improve current EJ levels. The improvements due to GFs to reach target values are assessed in % for day/night and indoor/outdoor settings. It can be shown that installing GFs would improve statuses of the four indicators to different extents, with the biggest enhancement found regarding indicator (3) for indoors at daytime: 52%. Determining factors for the EJ improvement potential of GFs need to be further assessed. This feasible method for increasing the amount of urban green can be helpful for improving life in highly burdened quarters. Therefore, from the point of view of EJ, large-scale implementation of GFs in urban areas is recommended.

Monument protection as a limiting factor for large scale vertical greening system implementation to counteract indoor heat stress – a GIS-based analysis for Berlin, Germany

“…VGS, as a measure without concurring land use, provide a variety of positive effects for city dwellers, which have been assessed in numerous studies. Examples are air quality improvements (Pugh et al 2012), indoor noise reduction (Pérez et al 2016) and even a contribution towards more environmental justice (Felgentreff et al 2022). quantified cooling potential of VGS and "demonstrated cooling effects of façade greening through transpiration and shading".…”

Modelling reference evapotranspiration of green walls (ET0vert)

“…Vertical greenery systems (VGS) are understood as a general term for different types of green facades (i.e., ground-based, 45 wall-based and pot-based) (Langergraber et al, 2021). Their benefits include reduction of temperature extremes in summer indoor and outdoor (Koch et al, 2020, Hoffmann et al, 2021 through isothermic shading and evaporative cooling (Wong et al, 2010, Hoelscher et al, 2016, Perini et al, 2017, thermal insulation due to reduction of wind speed (Perini et al, 2011), acoustic insulation (Azkorra et al, 2015), synergies with photovoltaic systems (Penaranda Moren and Korjenic, 2017), deposition of particulate matter on the leaves (Ottelé et al, 2010), carbon sequestration (Charoenkit and Yiemwattana, 2016), 50 food production (Hoffmann et al, 2023), creation of fauna habitats (Madre et al, 2015) and improvement of the human wellbeing and environmental justice (Felgentreff et al, 2022). Two other important benefits, which are both closely linked to the plants' ET, are rainwater retention (Riechel et al, 2017;Xie et al, 2022), and rainwater management (Pearlmutter et al, 2021).…”