Installing plant coverings on buildings can reduce rainwater runoff by 40 percent
03/05/2021
More than 70 people participated in a technical conference on the Sustainable Architecture and Construction Strategy
Due to their capacity to retain water, installing plant coverings on buildings reduces runoff from torrential rain by 40 percent, which can be used for the growth of the plants which make up the covering itself.
Mitigating the effect of flooding is one of the benefits of these installations, promoted by the Community within the Sustainable Architecture and Construction Strategy (EACS), which were presented this morning in a technical conference with more than 70 attendees, which recognised success stories in cities such as Barcelona.
During the launch, the councillor for Development and Infrastructure, José Ramón Díez de Revenga highlighted the advantages of these ecological coverings which "try to bring the verdant green of the countryside to the city's terraces, thus renaturalising urban settings with the aim of fighting against climate change and improving people's quality of life".
"It is hoped that this intervention of a plant covering will not only contribute to the urban green transformation and energy efficiency, but also help raise awareness of the importance of conserving the environment, promoting citizen participation in creating and using these installations," explained Díez de Revenga.
Architects Joaquín Ruiz Piñera and Bartomeu Antich García particpated in the workshop, explaining that this kind of installation made up of native herbaceous plants also result in "carbon sequestration" since on average this can be estimated at a tonne of carbon per square metre of green covering over a one-year period.
Plant coverings also improve the performance of solar panels, being able to generate up to 16 percent more energy as plants act as a natural cooling system for solar panels. Likewise, it was highlighted that these installations capture polluting particles and increase biodiversity by sheltering native species of great environmental value.
Photograph: Technical workshop on plant coverings
Presentations:
Green coverings - Zink Architecture - Joaquín Ruiz Piñera
Green Coverings - Barcelona City Council - Bartomeu Antich García
Video of the workshop
