Green facades are gaining growing attention among the general public and researchers in various disciplines. Vertical greenery systems play an important role as expressive elements of buildings, ...while at the same time being treated as a special type of green infrastructure with various positive effects, especially in densely built-up urban areas. This study focuses on the perception of green facades in urban ambiences. The emphasis is on visual perception and the evaluation of the pleasantness or visual quality of various spaces based on the presence or absence of green facades. The public perceptions and evaluation of urban open space with the green elements studied was examined in the Netherlands and Slovenia. The online survey included images of various spatial situations about which respondents conveyed their opinions. Two target groups were addressed: the general public and architecture and urban planning students. The results show that in general greener urban environment is perceived as more pleasant, suggesting that most people think vertical greenery also contributes to the quality of urban ambiences. Nonetheless, differences were identified between the residents of the two countries studied and the two groups surveyed.
V splošni javnosti in v raziskavah v raznih strokah pridobivajo ozelenjeni fasadni ovoji stavb vse večjo pozornost. Sistemi vertikalnih ozelenitev imajo pomembno vlogo kot izrazni element stavbe, ...hkrati pa se obravnavajo kot poseben tip zelene infrastrukture z raznovrstnimi pozitivnimi učinki predvsem na gosto pozidanih urbanih območjih. Raziskava se osredotoča na zaznavo ozelenjenih fasad v urbanih ambientih. Poudarek je na vizualnem zaznavanju in dojemanju prijetnosti ali vizualne kakovosti raznovrstnih prostorov glede na to, ali stavba ima ozelenjeno fasado ali ne. Odnos javnosti in vrednotenje urbanega odprtega prostora s proučevanimi zelenimi elementi smo preverjali na Nizozemskem in v Sloveniji. V spletno anketo so bili vključeni prikazi prostorskih situacij, o katerih so anketiranci izrazili mnenje. Ciljni skupini sta bili širša javnost in študenti arhitekturno-urbanističnih smeri. Kljub splošnemu rezultatu o večji prijetnosti bolj zelenega mestnega okolja, ki kaže na to, da večina ljudi tudi vertikalne ozelenitve dojema kot prispevek h kakovosti urbanih ambientov, se med proučevanima skupinama v posamezni državi pojavljajo razlike.
Abstract
Publicly accessible green open spaces such as parks, playgrounds and urban forests are key environments within urban tissue for promotion of health-enhancing physical activities (HEPA). The ...association between green open space and physical activity has been a subject of numerous studies, most of them focusing on factors affecting the use of green space for HEPA. However, there are inconsistencies among studies about associations between spatial characteristics of a public open space (e.g. size, distance, safety, quality) and HEPA. This presents a struggle for urban designers and policy makers to develop and implement evidence-based guidelines for designing green open spaces to promote HEPA. Slovenian planning and management plans are no exception to this. In order to effectively overcome this shortfall, we developed an approach and methodology combining current knowledge, planning evaluation and an empirical study.
Accordingly, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of current national legislation and documents related to public health, physical activity promotion and spatial planning. We also carried out workshops, focus groups, and discussions with relevant public health experts, decision makers and planners. To assess the practical relevance of the factors identified by experts and research literature, we tested the proposed approach and guidelines on a pilot study in the municipality of Kocevje, which is the largest Slovenian municipality, characterized by one town (Kocevje) and a number of small villages. Pilot study encompassed analysis of the municipality documents and spatial plans, spatial analyses, a survey among 176 residents of the municipality, and interviews with relevant representatives of local authority.
The analysis of the planning plans showed that there is not one single official document which would stress the importance of green open space for HEPA, either on strategic or implemental level. Furthermore, the pilot study proved great differences between the town and surrounding villages, the town being insufficient in supply of green spaces suitable for walking or cycling, whilst villages were lacking open spaces as a setting where people could engage in physical activity.
Based on the results, we underline the importance of the topic integration into planning documents and propose guidelines to achieve this.
Abstract
Purpose
Evidence suggests that green space use for physical activity significantly benefits to maintenance and improvement of public health. Settlements need to provide adequate access to ...public green spaces which enable and encourage physical activity. Provision of publicly accessible green spaces is therefore often included in different sectoral strategies and policies. However, to really meet goals and objectives, declared in these documents, appropriate and efficient actions need to be taken in spatial development practice on a local level.
Methods
We present the approach, developed within the first year of the national research project PREZENCA, which aims at developing indicators for the assessment of the provision of settlements with green spaces for outdoor physical activity in Slovenian municipalities. The approach may be of interest to countries which have adequately developed strategic spatial planning of urban green spaces but lack useful tools to assess the current state and to monitor changes in the provision of quality green and other outdoor spaces to encourage physical activity.
Results
The approach is based on a comprehensive analysis of examples and possibilities for measuring presence and quantity of green spaces, defining green space types, and measuring citizens’ accessibility and use of green spaces for physical activity. Content analysis of existing planning documents on a local level was carried out to elaborate: (1) whether the provision of green spaces in settlements in Slovenia is defined and how (2) which population groups are addressed and (3) where such content should be put into policy documents to support implementation in practice. Based on the results, the suggestions on relevant factors and indicators of green space provision and quality for physical activity were prepared to be further developed for evaluation and monitoring on the local level and included into spatial planning practice and policies.
Conclusion
Furthermore, we discuss the importance of establishing local standards and possibilities to include them into planning documents to form the basis for long-term monitoring of the condition of publicly accessible green spaces for recreational use by residents.
Densely populated city quarters lacking green increase the urban heat island effect and thermal discomfort outdoors and indoors. Facade greenings (FG) cool buildings and their surroundings through ...shading, insulation and transpiration, as demonstrated experimentally. FG also reduces energy consumption for building cooling. Because of complex interrelationships, to assess the performance of FG towards different buildings is not trivial.
Therefore, a validated numerical heat-mass transfer model is proposed and applied to describe the energy saving potential of a one-layered FG for nine wall compositions representing relevant building types, climatic conditions in Berlin, Germany and Ljubljana, Slovenia and the south- and westward exposition. The buildings represent several functions and a range of wall insulation levels. For each scenario, temperatures and energy in- and outflows are calculated from June to September (20-year average).
FG can reduce exterior and interior wall temperatures by up to 17 K and 2.9 K, respectively. For the whole period, energy savings range from 2 to 16 kWh m–2 depending on building and climate. Results show that both, level of insulation, thermal inertia, exposition and climatic conditions must be considered when predicting FG’s energy saving potential for buildings. The introduced model (http://dx.doi.org/10.14279/depositonce-10512) can be used to predict cooling performances and to identify priority buildings for FG implementation in cities.
Abstract
Issue/problem
To minimize public health risks and promote HEPA among citizens, an integrated approach between public health experts and spatial planning is much needed. However, ...cross-sectoral cooperation is very demanding and needs harmonization of concepts and professional terms to reach mutual understanding.
Description of the problem
In 2017 the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia launched the programme entitled Expert Basis for Spatial Planning of Green Areas, aimed at HEPA promotion for citizens. It was co-financed by the Ministry of Health and based on the objectives in the National Programme on Nutrition and Health Enhancing Physical Activity 2015-2025 and the Strategy of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Children and Youth Environmental Health 2012-2020. Its purpose is to expertly support the planning and development of towns/settlements in Slovenia for better quality of life and direct it for active and healthy lifestyles of citizens of all ages and social groups. To properly address all relevant issues, cooperation with the National Institute of Public Health was established.
Results (effects/changes)
The programme contained multidisciplinary collaboration in a form of consultation workshops and an expert review of the programme publication named Going Out for Health: A green space planning manual to promote physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. The emphasis was on supporting spatial planning issues on quality of green spaces with basic objectives of public health perspectives. The guide is the first example of linking public health promotion approaches and quality aspects of green space planning and design in Slovenia. It contains general guidelines for the planning of green areas aimed at promoting HEPA, expert materials to support municipalities in devising relevant approaches, and decision-making in order to provide useful and attractive green areas.
Lessons
The aspects of green area spatial planning aimed at promoting HEPA are diverse and closely interconnected. The programme and its manual reflect a good cooperation example between spatial planning and public health experts.
Main messages
A good collaboration between urban planners and public health professionals is crucial to prepare useful guidelines for spatial planners and municipality decision-makers on green space planning for HEPA promotion.
Vertical Greenery Systems (VGS) as systemic, nature-based solution can contribute to the quality of urban space and resilience to climate change. However, there are challenges and reservations about ...its performance and realization. This book discusses perspectives of urban stakeholders, design and maintenance, potentials regarding food, water, and energy as well as governance, planning and financing. It joins findings from the transnational research project „Urban Vertical Green 2.0“.
This article examines the need and opportunities to implement vertical green in Ljubljana as a case of a medium-sized European city with a relatively green feel. Sustainability-oriented urban ...development supports the introduction of nature-based solutions in principle; however, there is a lack of vertical green as well as actual legislative and administrative support. Therefore, several methods were applied in the present study to link this idea to execution, starting with semi-structured interviews and a workshop for selected city officials. Legislative and formal backgrounds for implementation were then assessed. An inventory of green façades and other structures (e.g., noise barriers and retaining walls) in Ljubljana was prepared, and a geographic information system-based decision support system was developed to identify the potential areas in the city where additional green space elements would be most favourable for humans, the environment, and climate indicators. The results reveal a gap between opportunities and the actual situation. The general opinion that there is never too much green space in urban areas is confirmed by direct information from the city administration and strategic documents. There are many potential sites for implementation; however, this is hindered by ownership, management, and economic issues. The study concludes with some suggestions for following the best practices in other central European capitals, such as Vienna and Berlin.
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