Articles
Green walls as nature-based solutions for urban resilience and human well-being: the case of the city of Turin (Italy)
Article number
1429_17
Pages
147 – 154
Language
English
Abstract
Nature-based solutions, including green walls (GWs), can provide environmentally and socially sustainable building approaches to urban environmental design.
Between 2017 and 2022, as part of a big urban regeneration project in the city of Turin (Italy), the University of Turin promoted the addition of 300 m2 of GWs to two newly constructed sustainable buildings in the city centre (Aldo Moro Complex). The GWs were constructed using the modular Decor wall® system (Dual green, Turin), and comprise 620 modules (80×60 cm each) supporting over 8000 plants, including grasses and shrubs.
The research aimed to improve design criteria to maximize the ecosystem services provided by the GWs.
Following a literature review, plant species were chosen according to aesthetic, biodiversity, environmental, and management criteria.
In June 2021, he atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10, and PM100) uptake capacity of five selected plant species was also studied: Lonicera nitida E. H. Wilson, L. nitida ‘Lemon Beauty’, Muehlenbeckia complexa (A. Cunn.) Meisn., Vinca major L. ‘Variegata’, and Cotoneaster salicifolius Franch.
The mass of surface and epicuticular in-wax PM was determined gravimetrically by washing off PM from both leaf surfaces with water (surface PM) or chloroform (in-wax PM). After filtration, the filters were dried, weighed, and the amounts of the two size fractions PM (μg cm‑2 of leaf surface) were measured.
The analyses showed that the most efficient plant species in capturing particulate matter is M. complexa with a total value of 217.69 µg cm‑2 and the least is L. nitida ‘Lemon Beauty’ with 110.46 µg cm‑2. In addition, a questionnaire on citizens’ perception of ecosystem services was circulated via a printed QR code, through Instagram® and WhatsApp®, and garnered 219 responses.
The urban regeneration project showed that even minimal urban greening interventions make a substantial impact on citizens’ well-being.
Between 2017 and 2022, as part of a big urban regeneration project in the city of Turin (Italy), the University of Turin promoted the addition of 300 m2 of GWs to two newly constructed sustainable buildings in the city centre (Aldo Moro Complex). The GWs were constructed using the modular Decor wall® system (Dual green, Turin), and comprise 620 modules (80×60 cm each) supporting over 8000 plants, including grasses and shrubs.
The research aimed to improve design criteria to maximize the ecosystem services provided by the GWs.
Following a literature review, plant species were chosen according to aesthetic, biodiversity, environmental, and management criteria.
In June 2021, he atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10, and PM100) uptake capacity of five selected plant species was also studied: Lonicera nitida E. H. Wilson, L. nitida ‘Lemon Beauty’, Muehlenbeckia complexa (A. Cunn.) Meisn., Vinca major L. ‘Variegata’, and Cotoneaster salicifolius Franch.
The mass of surface and epicuticular in-wax PM was determined gravimetrically by washing off PM from both leaf surfaces with water (surface PM) or chloroform (in-wax PM). After filtration, the filters were dried, weighed, and the amounts of the two size fractions PM (μg cm‑2 of leaf surface) were measured.
The analyses showed that the most efficient plant species in capturing particulate matter is M. complexa with a total value of 217.69 µg cm‑2 and the least is L. nitida ‘Lemon Beauty’ with 110.46 µg cm‑2. In addition, a questionnaire on citizens’ perception of ecosystem services was circulated via a printed QR code, through Instagram® and WhatsApp®, and garnered 219 responses.
The urban regeneration project showed that even minimal urban greening interventions make a substantial impact on citizens’ well-being.
Authors
G. Daniele, R. Baraldi, P. Burlando, A. Przybysz, R. Popek, F. Larcher, M. Devecchi
Keywords
particulate matter (PM), ecosystem services, urban greening, Muehlenbeckia complexa (A. Cunn.) Meisn., citizens’ perception
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