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Green facades are extremely efficient at improving outdoor comfort. In hot climates, they reduce the ambient temperature and glare, creating a cooler and more pleasant environment and, applied on a large scale, they contribute to reducing the urban heat island effect. Plants purify the air and can muffle ambient noise. The mental and physical soothing effects of living in a green environment in close contact with nature are well documented. In short, incorporating greenery to facades allows to create cool, quiet, clean and relaxing microclimates within cities that encourage healthier outdoor living and social interaction.
Looking to the future and considering the increasing global temperatures, architects and urban planners should take every opportunity to integrate plants within the building envelope as a fundamental strategy to create oasis of physical and mental well-being within cities. This would encourage a healthier outdoor lifestyle and increase climate resilience.
Looking to the past, what fascinates me about this picture of a traditional facade in southern Spain is its simplicity. A pot, a hook, a peg and a wood block were all the means needed to grow plants on the wall. This makes me think that no large budgets are required, just awareness, knowledge, creativity and care. Imagine what green facades we can create with the available technologies today!
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