Abstract
This study investigates alternative materials already in the solid waste stream that were ready for creative reuse. The purpose of this project is to explore if existing sheet metal by-products could be repurposed as green wall systems and provide beneficial ecosystem services. A secondary purpose was to educate the campus community about sustainability through improving the value of industrial by-products thereby reducing waste streams in the production of new materials, energy conservation, and reduced water use for green walls through the use of drought-tolerant vegetation. Initial readings for the living wall system surface was 2.68 to 3.92 and up to 4.6 degrees Celsius cooler than the adjacent concrete wall. One design was refined and was trialed for cutting using a water-jet machine and assembled with manual folding. Three hundred prism-shaped modules were attached to a vertical steel frame. Drip irrigation lines deliver water to each module. Drought tolerant plants were used to minimize irrigation water. It is estimated that compared to conventional living walls, the proposed system uses about half of the volume of water needed for irrigation.
Presenters
Ahmed K. AliAssistant Professor of Architecture, Architecture, Texas A&M University, Texas, United States Bruce Dvorak
Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, Texas, United States Patricia Kio
Student, B-Tech, MSc, Texas A&M University, Texas, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Resource reuse, Living Walls, Energy saving, Automobile metal By-products fabrication
