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Plants and Buildings: improving the human
environment
Professor John Dover The Green Wall Centre, Staffordshire University
• Overarching Creative Vision for the Whole Centre
• Detailed Design of a specific space as a pilot
Des
ign
Brie
f
Considerations • The building needs to address current
issues but also be future-proofed in terms of environmental challenges
• We are in the world of the retrofit
• Best not to overcomplicate
• Engagement is important
• There are always caveats/exceptions
Brie
f Iss
ues
Ecosystem services are generally considered to be of four types: • Supporting services e.g. nutrient and water cycling, soil
formation, primary production • Regulating services e.g. climate control, pollution removal,
water regulation & purification, pollination, pest & disease suppression, erosion control
• Provisioning services e.g. food, medicines, building materials • Cultural services e.g. societal appreciation of nature and
environment, aesthetics, recreation (EASAC, 2009)
Eco
syst
em S
ervi
ces
• Regulating services – climate control, – pollution ‘removal’, – water regulation & purification, – disease suppression
• Cultural services – aesthetics, – appreciation of nature and environment, – recreation
For B
uild
ing
Des
ign
Most Relevant
Essential Infrastructure
Ecosystem Services can help with many current and future
challenges Climate Change
Societal Value
Amenity Value
Health & Wellbeing
Energy Management
Water Management
Urban Climate
Ecosystem Services
Inside buildings and outside
Cha
lleng
es
Evapotranspiration
7-10°C difference
Air cooling, humidification, UV control, shade
Clim
ate
Con
trol
Can be used with Air Cons A
ir C
ondi
tioni
ng
Cool in summer warm in winter
Deciduous species: leaves shade in summer, fall-off in winter and sun warms room
Win
dow
Sha
de
Shaded walkways, Contemplative spaces, Stress reduction, Evapo-transpiration Sustainable Urban Drainage
Future proofing for climate change
Out
door
sha
de
Sustainable Urban Drainage
Slo
win
g it
dow
n
Cap
ture
© City of Portland, Oregon
Rain Gardens
Storm-water planters
Per
mea
ble
pavi
ng
Pavements, Car parks, Driveways, Patios
Infiltration
Building Insulation
Warmer in Winter
Ene
rgy
Man
agem
ent
Cooler in Summer
Can also provide summer shade with trees or climbers on awnings
Energy consumption
One study suggests that shading air conditioner heat exchangers
could save up to 10% in energy costs!
Air
Con
ditio
ning
U
nits
‘Nature’ helps in: • Stress recovery • Attention restoration • Reduced prevalence of mental disorder • Trust, tolerance, participation, feelings of safety • Recovery from surgery
State-of-Mind M
enta
l Hea
lth
Looking good, hiding the ugly, enhancing the mediocre
Aes
thet
ics
©Biotecture Ltd
©Mobilane
Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) In
door
Air
Pol
lutio
n
Plants – especially microbes in the root-zone can detoxify VOCs
• Higher concentrations indoors • Hundreds of compounds • Some carcinogens • Given off by building products,
furnishing, electrical, etc. • Sick-building syndrome
Nursery x250 mag A38 Bristol St x250 mag
66 days
Pol
lutio
n O
utdo
ors
Plants Capture PM and Gasses NO2 SO2 O3 CO2 CO
PM10-1.0
Reducing hubbub
Sound absorption, diffraction, reflection Will vary with plant species & architecture, growing units/media Valuable where many hard surfaces
Noi
se P
ollu
tion ©Biotecture Ltd
The immediate work environment P
rodu
ctiv
ity
• Increased job satisfaction • Higher quality of life scores • Reduced work pressure • Reduced absences • Better productivity • Improves climate (humidity) • May reduce microbes in the air
Room dividers
Indoor vegetation can be a fixed or a mobile facility creating and recreating spaces as required. Green walls take up little space.
Spa
ce u
tilis
atio
n
©Biotecture Ltd
1. What is Green Infrastructure? 2. Benefits of Green Infrastructure 3. Indoors 4. Permeable Pavements 5. Green Walls 6. Green Roofs 7. Street Trees 8. Policy, Regulation and Incentives
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