A Review of the Impact of Vegetation in Solar Control towards Enhanced Thermal Comfort and Energy Performance in Buildings

Abstract:

Man requires a thermal environment that is within the range of his adaptive capacity and if this fluctuates outside the normal, a reaction is required beyond its adaptive capacity which results to health challenges. Therefore, the aim of building design in the tropical region is to minimize the heat gain indoors and enhance evaporative cooling of the occupants of the space so as to achieve thermal comfort. In most cases, the passive technologies are not adequate in moderating indoor climate for human comfort thereby relying on active energy technique to provide the needed comfort for the building users. The need for the use of vegetation as a panacea for achieving comfortable indoor thermal conditions in housing is recognised by architects globally. However, the practice by architects in Nigeria is still at the lower ebb. The thrust of this paper therefore is to examine the impact of vegetation in solar control reducing thermal discomfort in housing thereby enhancing the energy performance of the buildings. Using secondary data, the paper identifies the benefits of vegetation in and around buildings to include improvement of indoor air quality through the aesthetics quality of the environment and concludes that vegetation in and around building will in no small measure contributes to saving energy consumption.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 887)
• Pages: 428-434
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.887.428
• Online since: January 2019
• Authors: Dorcas A. Ayeni*, Olaniyi O. Aluko, Morisade O. Adegbie
• Keywords: Air Quality, Energy Performance, Microclimate, Thermal Comfort, Vegetation

References

[1] O. Ashden (2014). Low-Energy Buildings. Retrieved from http://www.ashden.org/low-energy-buildings, accessed on 04/04/17.

[2] UNEP (2009). Sustainable Building Climate Change: Summary for decision Makers.

[3] L. Peres-Lombard, J. Ortis ,C. Pout (2008): A review on buildings energy consumption information. Journal of Energy and Buildings. Elsevier, Vol. 40 Issue 3, 394-398.

DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2007.03.007

[4] B. Tofield (2012). Delivering a Low-Energy Buildings: Making Quality Common Place. Report of Build with Care, European Development, UK.

[5] A. Batagarawa (2013). Assessing the thermal performance of phase change materials in Composite hot dry climates: An examination of office buildings in Abuja-Nigeria. PhD Thesis, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom.

[6] A.A. Balogun, T.E. Morakinyo, O.B. Adegun (2014). Effect of tree shade on energy demand of two similar buildings. Energy and Building, 81, 305-315.

DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.05.046

[7] E. G. McPherson, R. A. Rowntree (1993). Energy conservation potential of urban tree planting. Journal of Arboriculture, 19, 321-321.

DOI: 10.48044/jauf.1993.051

[8] H. Akbari (2002). Shade trees reduce building energy use and CO2 emissions from power plants. Environmental Pollution Volume 116, (1) S119–S126.

DOI: 10.1016/s0269-7491(01)00264-0

[9] S. Stern (2011). How do trees save energy retrieved from http://www.deeproot.com/blog/ blogentries/how-do-trees-save-energy. Accessed on 20/05/17.

[10] Landscape for life (2017) Use vegetation to increase energy efficiency retrieved from http://landscapeforlife.org/plants/use-vegetation-to-increase-energy-efficiency/. Accessed on 19/05/17.

[11] M. A. Hassan, M. R. Shaalan, K. M. El-Shazly (2004) Effects of Window Size and Location and Wind Direction on Thermal Comfort with Single-Sided Natural Ventilation World Renewabl Energy Congress Viii (Wrec 2004). P 1-6.

[12] H. Akbari, M. Pomerantz, H. Taha (2001). Cool surfaces and shade trees to reduce energy use and improve air quality in urban areas. Solar energy, 70(3), 295-310.

DOI: 10.1016/s0038-092x(00)00089-x

[13] S.A. Ganiyu (2016). Assessment of thermal comfort level of some selected lecture theatres in Federal University of Technology, Akure. In Ebohon, O.J, Ayeni, D.A, Egbu, C.O and Omole, F.K. Procs of International Joint Conference on 21st Century Human Habitat, Issues, sustainability and Development. 21-24 March, 201, Akure, Nigeria 315-325.

[14] G. Perez, J. Coma, I. Martorell, L.F. Cabeza (2014). Vertical Greenery Systems (VGS) for Energy Saving in Buildings: A Review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol 39, 139 165.

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2014.07.055

[15] D.E. Pataki, M.M. Carreiro, J. Cherrier, N.E. Grulke, V. Jennings, S.Pincetl, W.C. Zipperer, (2011). Coupling biogeochemical cycles in urban environments: ecosystem services, green solutions, and misconceptions. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 9(1), 27-36.

DOI: 10.1890/090220

[16] B. Raji, M.J. Tenpierik, A. van den Dobbelsteen (2015). The impact of greening systems on building energy performance: A literature review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 45, 610-623.

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2015.02.011

[17] Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2017). Using Trees and Vegetation to Reduce Heat Islands. www.epa.gov. Accessed on 20/05/17.

[18] D.J. Nowak, N. Appleton, A. Ellis, E. Greenfield (2017). Residential Building Energy Conservation and avoided power plant emissions by urban and community trees in the United States. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, Vol 21, 155-165.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2016.12.004

[19] Z.H. Wang, X. Zhao, J.Yang, J. Song (2016). Cooling and energy saving potentials of shade trees and urban lawns in a desert city. Applied Energy, 161, 437-444.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.10.047

[20] A. A. Millward, M. Torchia, A.E. Laursen, L.D. Rothman (2014). Vegetation placement for Summer Built Surface Temperature Moderation in an Urban Microclimate. Environmental Management, 53(6), 1043-1057.

DOI: 10.1007/s00267-014-0260-8

[21] B.B. Lin, K.J. Gaston, R.A. Fuller, D.Wu, R.Bush D.F. Shanahan (2017). How Green is your Garden? Urban form and Socio-Demographic Factors, Influence Yard Vegetation, Visitation and Ecosystem Service Benefits. Landscape and Urban Planning Vol 157, 239-246.

DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.07.007

[22] D.T.C. Cox, D.F. Shanahan, H.I. Hudson, R.A. Fuller, K. Anderson, S.Hancock, K.J. Gaston, (2017). Doses of Nearby Nature Simultaneously Associated with Multiple Health Benefits. International Journal of Public Health. Vol 14, 2. 172-181.

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14020172

[23] World Health Organisation (2016) Urban Population Growth, Global Health Observatory Data. www.who-int/gho/urban_health/situation_trends/urban_population_growth_text/en.

[24] M.Sala, G. Alcamo, L.C. Nelli (2017) Energy- Saving Solutions for Five Hospitals in Europe Mediterranean Green Buildings and Renewable Energy. 1-17.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30746-6_1

[25] S.Bells, K.Jones, A. Mclntosh, L.Malki-Epsshtein, Z.Yao, (2017) Green Infrastructure for London: A Review of the Evidence. Journal of Natural Environment Research Council. A public engagement pilot project.

[26] S. Janhäll, (2015). Review on urban vegetation and particle air pollution–Deposition and dispersion. Atmospheric Environment, 105, 130-137.

DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.01.052

[27] G.K. Oral; A.K. Yener, N.T. Bayazit (2004). Building Envelope Design with the Objective to Ensure Thermal, Visual and Acoustic Comfort Conditions. Build Environ. 39(3):281–7.

DOI: 10.1016/s0360-1323(03)00141-0

[28] K.C. Parsons (2000). Environmental ergonomics: A review of principles, methods and models. Applied Ergon, 31: 581-594.

DOI: 10.1016/s0003-6870(00)00044-2

[29] H. Son, H.L. Rosario M.M. Rahman (2008). Thermal Comfort Enhancement by using a Ceiling Fan. Applied Thermal Eng., 29: 1648-1656.

DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2008.07.015

[30] K.W. Shek W.T. Chan (2008). Combined Comfort Model of Thermal Comfort and Air Quality on Buses in Hong Kong. Sci. Total Environ. 389: 277-282.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.08.063

[31] P.O. Fanger (1970). Thermal Comfort. Danish Technical Press, Copenhagen, ISBN: 0-07 019915-9. 21-23.

[32] M.J. Holmes , J.N. Hacker (2007). Climate Change, Thermal Comfort and Energy: Meeting the Design Challenges of the 21st Century. Energy Build. 39: 802-814.

DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2007.02.009

[33] B. Givoni, (1998). Climate Considerations in Building and Urban Design. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

[34] J.A. Voogt, T.R. Oke (2003). Thermal Remote Sensing of Urban Climates. Remote Sens Environ, 86: 374-384.

DOI: 10.1016/s0034-4257(03)00079-8

[35] S. Bretz ,H. Akbari (1997). Long-Term Performance of High Albedo Roof Coatings. Energy and Buildings 25, 159–167.

DOI: 10.1016/s0378-7788(96)01005-5

[36] H. Taha, H. Akbari, A. Rosenfeld, J. Huang (1988). Residential Cooling Loads and the Urban Heat Island – The Effects of Albedo, Building and Environment, 23, (4), 271-283.

DOI: 10.1016/0360-1323(88)90033-9

[37] G. Bonan (1997). Effect of Land Use on the Climate of the United State. Climate Change. 37:449-486.