Living buildings: What benefits can green roofs and living walls bring?

Against the backdrop of growing environmental awareness among people and the urgent need for sustainable solutions, many architects and engineers have begun to increasingly be inspired by nature in recent years and literally “build” pieces of it into their creations. This is how buildings with so-called green roofs and living walls began to appear.

Green roofs are roofs covered with a layer of vegetation, soil and drainage systems. Living walls (also called vertical gardens) consist of vegetation grown on walls or facades. Both green roofs and living walls offer a variety of environmental, social and economic benefits that make them increasingly popular in green building design.

Improved insulation

Vegetation acts as a natural insulator, reducing heat transfer through a roof or wall and thereby helping to reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling buildings. Thanks to this, residents of such buildings spend less on heating, moreover, it reduces carbon dioxide emissions.

Improved air quality

Plants also act as natural air filters, absorbing pollutants and carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. This is especially useful in urban areas where air pollution can be a serious problem. Green roofs and living walls can improve air quality both inside and outside buildings. That is why in cities with poor air, including Yerevan, it is recommended to build as many buildings as possible covered with greenery.

Stormwater management

Stormwater runoff overloading drainage systems often causes problems in cities. Green roofs and living walls can act as natural sponges, soaking up rainwater, reducing pressure on infrastructure and helping to prevent flooding.

Reducing the urban heat island effect

Cities tend to be several degrees hotter than surrounding areas. The so-called urban heat island effect is to blame for this. Green roofs and living walls help mitigate this by providing shade and evaporating water through transpiration, which has a cooling effect.

Other benefits

Vegetation on the surface of buildings increases biodiversity by creating habitat for bees and butterflies. It is also believed that the abundance of such buildings has a positive effect on the mental state of city residents, helping to reduce stress levels. Additionally, buildings with green roofs and living walls can be more aesthetically pleasing, potentially increasing the property value of these buildings.