Starting Point /Motivation

In the wake of climate change, green buildings are becoming increasingly important for climate-adapted urban development. Green facades in particular are considered as effective measures for reducing urban heat, improving the energy efficiency of buildings and promoting biodiversity in urban areas.

Despite their high ecological and urban climate potential, the practical implementation of vertical greening has been limited to date. A key inhibiting factor is the structural uncertainty regarding the static stress on facades caused by climbing plants and associated climbing support systems.

In particular, the effects of wind loads, tensile forces, and dead weights have not been sufficiently researched and are not specifically addressed in existing standards, such as the Eurocode. This lack of design criteria compromises the planning reliability, cost-effectiveness, and eligibility for subsidies of facade greening.

Contents and goals

The StatiPLANT exploratory project aims to establish the scientific, technical and organisational basis for a standardised procedure for the static assessment of vertically greened facades. The focus is on systematically reviewing the international state of research on wind loads, dead weights and tensile forces in climbing plants on buildings.

Based on this, the relevant influencing parameters – such as plant species, growth form, climbing support system, building geometry, anchoring, location and wind conditions – are to be identified, structured and evaluated in terms of their interactions. The exploratory study serves as a preparatory phase for a multi-year follow-up project in which a robust, parameterisable assessment model is to be developed that will enable practical and reliable planning of façade greening.

Methods

Methodologically, the project is based on an interdisciplinary approach. First, a comprehensive analysis of existing national and international studies, standards and experimental approaches for recording static loads on green facades will be carried out.

Based on this, a measurement and simulation concept will be developed that includes both controlled wind tunnel tests and open-air measurements on real objects. Different plant species, climbing aids and fastening systems will be systematically taken into account.

In addition, the technical and methodological feasibility of parametric model approaches and AI-supported data processing for mapping complex interactions will be examined. Conceptual preparations will be made for integration into digital planning tools (e.g. BIM).

Expected results

The exploratory phase is expected to result in a scientifically sound draft concept for a parameterisable assessment model that maps the static loads of climbing plants, taking into account wind, tensile and dead loads. This includes, among other things, the derivation of a reduction factor for wind loads in comparison to unplanted facades and a structured evaluation matrix for estimating the weights and forces of different greening systems.

In the long term, the project will lay the foundation for comprehensible design rules, new measurement standards and digital planning tools. This will increase structural planning reliability, enable resource-efficient dimensioning and significantly facilitate the implementation of façade greening as an effective measure of climate-adapted urban development.

Project management

GRÜNSTATTGRAU Forschungs- und Innovations-GmbH

Project / cooperation partners

• Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (AIT)
• BOKU Institut für Ingenieurbiologie (IBLB)
• Bundesverband Gebäudegrün e.V. (BUGG)
• Europäische Föderation der Bauwerksbegrünungsverbände (EFB)
• Woschitz group ZT GmbH

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