A litterature review of experimental setups monitoring thermal performance of vegetated facade systems

Abstract

The decline of green spaces through urbanization, the urban heat island effect resulting from the use of materials with low albedo value, and the greenhouse effect occurring as a result of the consumption of fossil fuels all lead to an increase in ambient air temperature. Use of roof, facade, and pavement materials with high albedo value and vegetated surfaces play an important role in reducing the urban heat island effect. It is essential to use renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels and/or reduce energy consumption in order to decrease the greenhouse effect. There are various numerical and experimental studies in some countries of the world that investigate the contribution of vegetated facade systems (VFS) used as energy-efficient and sustainable systems to improve the thermal performance of the building envelope. However, in Turkey there has been no empirical study to measure and evaluate the thermal performance of VFSs. Therefore, a PhD thesis is being conducted at Istanbul Technical University to measure thermal performance of vegetated facade systems under Kocaeli climate (temperate humid) conditions. In the present study, a literature review investigating existing experimental setups has been conducted and experimental approaches are being complied, classified and tabulated. Hence, test assemblies, types of measured variables, sensors that have been used to measure different parameters, and location of the sensors within the assemblies have been determined. In addition, the resulting recommendations for further experimental studies have been put forward. The aim of the study is to explain and evaluate the existing experimental setups and, based on these and context-limitations of the thesis, put forward the details of experimental setup that will be used for the thesis.

Keywords

• Vegetated Facade Systems (VFS)
• living walls
• thermal performance
• experimental setup
• test assemblies