Oral Abstract Details

Author(s):
Van Webb

Affiliation:
Auburn University

Presentation Type:
Oral

Topic Area:
Topic Not Specified

Abstract Text:
Due to Mobile, Alabama’s coastal geographic location, there are many storms that flow through the Gulf of Mexico and travel north through Mobile. These storms create a great amount of stormwater runoff throughout the city, leading to flooding of streets, water quality degradation, stagnant water-creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and many other issues. Urbanization and population growth leads to more impervious surface which in turn increases stormwater quantity and velocity. Retrofitting green infrastructure into the existing urban form of Mobile is an excellent method towards stormwater management. In this essay, I will discuss how utilizing green walls within the built city will provide aesthetic improvements, reduce energy consumption, and help control stormwater. Green walls are not a new form of design. There are two types of vertical green structures. The first is a green façade. A green façade consists of climbing plants or aggressive groundcovers that are trained to cover a specifically designed structure and are planted either in the ground or in planters. The second is a green wall. Green walls are living systems. A green walls’ plant variety far exceeds that of a green façade. Green walls support groundcovers, ferns, low shrubs, perennial flowers, vegetables, and herbs. Green walls are low in maintenance requiring only simple fertilization, watering, and pruning. They provide many benefits including: sound insulation, filtering of air particles to improve air quality, help reduce the urban heat island effect, they create microclimates which helps in reducing the city temperature as a whole, they can moderate a buildings internal temperature, mitigate stormwater- absorbing 45-75% of rainfall, act as a natural water filter and water temperature moderator, and promote green infrastructure. Green walls can also contribute towards several LEED credits when used in combination with other sustainable building practices. The main focus of this research is to inform the city of Mobile of stormwater management possibilities within the built environment through green wall systems. Since a large percentage of urban space consists of building structures, I chose to focus my research around rooftop stormwater management by proposing green walls in an urban environment. My research and analysis consisted of various graphical representations. I have learned that by critically analyzing an urban space accurately using graphic analysis and data, green infrastructure can be innovative and site specific. Rooftop stormwater can be utilized in the creation of on-site infiltration. Green walls can improve the urban environment by mitigating stormwater while also creating healthier and aesthetically pleasing living environments, reducing energy consumption, and also promote green infrastructure to the public through extensive vertical gardening.