In the field of sustainable constructions, the introduction of greenery in buildings is assuming an important role and various technological proposals, applied on façades, such as vertical gardens, green walls, or vertical greenery systems (VGS), have recently emerged. These systems provide benefits for the environment, because of energy saving, especially in the cooling periods. The benefits of these envelopes depend on multiple variables: their composition (plants and fixing-support structure), the irrigation system used and the surrounding environmental context. Among other benefits, there is also a potential noise attenuation determined by the sound absorption and sound insulation characteristics of these systems. The sound absorption properties can reduce traffic noise, especially in dense urban areas. The addition of these modular systems on the envelope of the buildings has the potential to improve the façade sound insulation. However, this improvement is not easy to perform, considering the multiple factors which could affect the results, such as the increase in the total mass of the wall, the inhomogeneity of the modular elements and the sealing of the joints between the modular elements. For these reasons, few studies on the sound insulation properties of these elements have been conducted. In the present study, results of laboratory measurements of the sound insulation of a modular greenery system are reported and discussed. Measurements were made both with the traditional and the sound intensity methods, the latter being useful to understand the criticality of the joints and of the non-homogeneity of the elements. The preliminary results presented in this paper, consistently with the outcome of other studies, highlight that it is necessary for a specific acoustic design of the VGS to fully exploit its potential to improve the sound insulation of building façades. In the follow-up of this work, a simulation approach to calculate the sound reduction index improvement of a VGS will be analysed.
The acoustic properties of green walls
Fausti P.;Santoni A.;
2021
Abstract
In the field of sustainable constructions, the introduction of greenery in buildings is assuming an important role and various technological proposals, applied on façades, such as vertical gardens, green walls, or vertical greenery systems (VGS), have recently emerged. These systems provide benefits for the environment, because of energy saving, especially in the cooling periods. The benefits of these envelopes depend on multiple variables: their composition (plants and fixing-support structure), the irrigation system used and the surrounding environmental context. Among other benefits, there is also a potential noise attenuation determined by the sound absorption and sound insulation characteristics of these systems. The sound absorption properties can reduce traffic noise, especially in dense urban areas. The addition of these modular systems on the envelope of the buildings has the potential to improve the façade sound insulation. However, this improvement is not easy to perform, considering the multiple factors which could affect the results, such as the increase in the total mass of the wall, the inhomogeneity of the modular elements and the sealing of the joints between the modular elements. For these reasons, few studies on the sound insulation properties of these elements have been conducted. In the present study, results of laboratory measurements of the sound insulation of a modular greenery system are reported and discussed. Measurements were made both with the traditional and the sound intensity methods, the latter being useful to understand the criticality of the joints and of the non-homogeneity of the elements. The preliminary results presented in this paper, consistently with the outcome of other studies, highlight that it is necessary for a specific acoustic design of the VGS to fully exploit its potential to improve the sound insulation of building façades. In the follow-up of this work, a simulation approach to calculate the sound reduction index improvement of a VGS will be analysed.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
