Experimental design of energy performance simulation for building envelopes integrated with vegetation

Green facades have many benefits, yet few software tool and methods for architects have been developed to assess the quantitatve energy performance of green facades. This work-in-progress paper explores the methodologies of modeling and simulating the effects of green facades on wall surface temperatures. It proposes a partially parameterized workflow to compute the thermal performance of green facades, within a Rhinoceros®-based platform and its plug-ins (Robert McNeel & Associates, Seattle, WA). By calibrating the computed results with field measurements, the paper is able to identify the importance of accurate information about vegetated cover and growth rates in modeling a green facade's performance. Also, the paper identifies evaporative cooling by vegetation's transpiration as a key component contributing to cooling.