Vertical gardens: A natural building refrigerator

The pioneer studies of A. Hoyano showed that the transmission of caloric energy through a cement wall is significantly less if this is covered by a green cover. Such decrease in temperature transmission can be up to 10 degrees resulting in energy for refrigeration saving between 35% to 90% depending on the type of vertical garden. This is possible because of the plants´ evapotranspiration (adiabatic or evaporative cooling) which can convert huge amounts of solar radiation (40% to 80%) in latent heat that does not increase the temperature. Green vegetation also contributes to increases indoor and outdoor air humidity.

Picture by Robson Denian Mateus