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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.53.05.24
How to Cite:
Erçin, C., & Usluer, B. (2022). Analysis of the effects of green wall usage on the user’s in indoor spaces. Amazonia
Investiga, 11(53), 234-248. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.53.05.24
Analysis of the effects of green wall usage on the user’s in indoor
spaces
İç Mekanlarda Yeşil Duvar Kullanımının Kullanıcı Üzerindeki Etkilerinin Analizi
Received: May 1, 2022 Accepted: June 2, 2022
Written by:
Çilen Erçin104
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9799-1810
Berkay Usluer105
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1818-009X
Abstract
Green walls are constructed by covering the
interior or external wall plane of a structure with
plants, assuring sustainability, and functioning as
a barrier to environmental hazards. Those used
on the inner wall of the building are called living
walls, and those used on the outer walls are called
green facades. According to some studies, there
are four types of green wall construction
techniques: tree against wall, wall-climbing,
suspended, and modular. Green facades can be
built directly or indirectly, according to other
studies, whereas living walls can be produced
modularly or continually. Ecosystem services
such as reducing noise, and dramatically
enhancing air quality can all be provided by
green walls. Increased cognitive function, patient
recovery, and a more environmentally
responsible approach are just a few examples.
The study's aim is to analyze how green walls
affect users, as well as to analyze and evaluate
the benefits of employing green walls in spaces
and advocate their usage in future projects. The
qualitative research approach was used to
analyze user thoughts by conducting a survey by
making a literature review with keywords like
green walls, the benefits of green walls, the
psychological implications of green walls,
interior space, and the user wants.
Key Words: Green wall, Users’ Needs, Benefits
of Green Walls, Vertical Garden, Indoor Spaces.
104
Assist. Prof. Dr., Near East University, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Nicosia, Cyprus. (Corresponding
Author)
105
Interior Architect, Near East University, Institute of Applied Sciences, Department of Architecture, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Erçin, C., Usluer, B. / Volume 11 - Issue 53: 234-248 / May, 2022
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Introduction
The increasing use of natural resources due to the
increase in the world population has put researchers
and people in a state of concern. With the increase
in consumption, there has been a decrease in the
sources of use and the concept of sustainability has
come to light. Sustainability, in other words, the
ability to be permanent, means the transfer of
existing resources to future generations. Population
growth not only increases consumption but also
causes factors such as environmental pollution and
global warming. There are many methods to avoid
such negativities. Green walls, one of these
methods, have been the focus of interior architects,
architects, and landscape architects in recent years.
They have many benefits both in terms of aesthetics
and human health.
Environmental issues such as global warming, the
ozone hole, which is getting worse by the day,
pollution of the air, damage to natural resources,
forest destruction, the urban heat island effect have
risen dramatically since the industrial revolution
and are now at a critical level. When the mentioned
environmental issues are combined, negative events
such as climate change and natural disasters that
harm the lives of many people/users are
experienced. To take precautions against such
negativities, research studies by researchers should
be considered. Environmental issues have reached
a point where they may be seen on a global scale
rather than only on a national level. Green roads,
green roofs, and green wall applications have all
been shown to be effective in combating
environmental issues in studies.
Green walls aren't just for aesthetic purposes in the
places where they're implemented. It also has
numerous advantages for both the area and the user.
The usage of a green wall on the outside of a
building, for example, helps to balance the humidity
and temperature differences between the structures.
At the same time, the green walls applied in the
building's interior offer a similar impression. The
purpose of this study was to see how living green
walls affected the user and the space, as well as to
advocate the usage of living green walls in future
project designs.
The Aim of the Research
This research was conducted to determine the
impacts of green walls on users and examine the
benefits of using green walls in spaces, as well as
ensuring the sustainability of future projects and
spreading the usage of green walls. In this
context, literature analysis and survey study were
conducted. At the end of the survey, a survey
study was conducted to determine whether the
users are aware of green walls, how much they
know about the benefits of green walls, and what
effect the use of green walls in the interior has on
them. In line with the obtained data, information
was collected and analysed.
Scope of the Research
Studies about green wall systems have been
developed for many parts of the world. However,
in Turkey and K.K.T.C., there are few studies on
green wall systems, their benefits, and their
effects on users. As a result, the benefits of green
walls and their effects on users will be
investigated in this study. In addition, a survey
study will be done with participants living in
Turkey and K.K.T.C. to collect more detailed
data on user opinions.
Methodology and Overview of the Research
Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies
were used in this study. Literature research on
related issues such as space, colour, space
perception, the effects of colours on users, green
facades, living walls, application techniques,
type of plant used, and benefits of green walls are
researched for the qualitative portion of the
study.
In order to examine the effects of green wall
systems on the user, firstly, after defining what
the green walls are, how many types of green
walls and how they are applied to understand the
effects on the users in Turkey and the TRNC a
survey study was conducted.
In the overview of this study, after the
introduction to the subject in Chapter 1 as
'Introduction', the data analysed in the literature
review were evaluated in Chapter 2. Section 3
presents the findings of the survey study with
questionnaires. In the last part (Chapter 4), a
conclusion was reached in line with the data
obtained in the study (Table 1).
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Table 1.
Overview of the Research Table.
Literature Review
In this section, space, spatial perception, colour,
green walls, types of green walls, construction
methods of green walls, plant species used in
green walls and finally the benefits of green walls
have been researched by literature review.
Space, Spatial Perception, Colour
People have built closed spaces to take shelter
from natural disasters and the negative effects of
the environment since the beginning of settled
order. The concept of space first originated as a
user need. Villages and cities developed as the
number of such places increased. Changes in the
responses of spaces to user needs and wishes
have happened because of technological
improvements and changes in the materials used
in the construction of places. It is not needed for
a space to be bordered by concrete barriers on all
sides for it to be created. At this point, the most
essential distinction between space and volume
develops. The restriction that generates the space
can be physical in the sense that it prevents
mobility, or it can be just visual in the sense that
it creates a texture on the floor that can only be
sensed through other senses. Almost all the user's
needs are met in this location (Aslan, Aslan , &
Atik, 2015).
Perception is the process of using the senses to
comprehend knowledge and experiences, and
spatial perception is the result of this process.
Users examine, observe, and finally analyse a
location to achieve spatial perception. To offer
spatial perception, there are four categories of
perception. Dimensional perception, visual
perception, thermal perception, and aural
perception are the four types of perception. Form,
colour, substance, texture, and light all have an
impact on visual perception (Aslan, Aslan , &
Atik, 2015). People's perceptions of a space
determine whether their goals and needs are met
in that space. The materials, interior layout,
physical dimensions, and colours are chosen to
have a direct relationship with spatial perception.
The function of space determines the size of that
space. For example, to determine the square
meter of a house, the user who will live in that
house is considered, a calculation is conducted
correspondingly, and the space limits are created.
If the house's boundaries were as large as a
shopping mall, the user would be left with many
unused spaces. However, leaving the house's
limits narrow may not be sufficient for the user
who would live there. In other words,
determining a space's dimensions is directly
proportionate to meeting user needs.
Another element in the dimensional perception
of spaces is the colours used in the space. Colour,
according to scientific studies, generates
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electromagnetic waves. Colour is the visual
impression of light on the eye, which is
determined by its structure and propagation
through objects. The interdependence of
physical, physiological, and psychological
events leads to colour perception in the visual
environment (Aslan, Aslan , & Atik, 2015). Each
colour has psychological effects on the user. In
many studies on the colour-space relationship, it
has been stated that colours tend to play an
important role in dimensional perception. Warm
colours like red, yellow, and orange have a
smaller effect on spaces (Yıldırım, Çapanoğlu,
Cağatay, & Hidayetoğlu, 2012); cold and lighter
colours like blue and green, on the other hand,
are shown to make the space feel much larger
(Yıldırım, Hidayetoğlu, & Çapanoğlu, 2011). At
the same time, each hue has psychological effects
on people. For example, in fast food places,
mostly yellow and red colours are used because
it evokes hunger and being fast. Blue, for
example, has a cleansing, comforting,
tranquillizing, and calming influence on humans.
It also aids people in thinking, making decisions,
and coming up with innovative ideas (Göler,
2009). Blue, on the other hand, is always chilly
and has a relaxing impact on the nervous system
(Aydınlatan, 2001). As another example, the
colour green is a combination of blue and yellow.
Yellow gives warmth, blue gives calmness and
peace to green. The green colour is the symbol of
trees and plants in nature. Green is the colour of
spring, vitality, and positive serenity. Green is a
quiet and peaceful colour that evokes nature and
paradise. In decoration, it evokes silence and not
being disturbed, so it is a colour used in hospital
rooms or theatres. In summary, colours have a
great impact on spatial perception such as colour
can make the space's atmosphere like as wanted,
reveals unity or difference, can characterize the
furniture, defines the form of the space.
Green Wall Definition
The phrases green wall, living wall, plant wall,
and vertical garden are all used interchangeably,
although they all refer to the same thing. A
vertical garden is a green surface created by
keeping the plants alive in the vertical plane,
usually with iron construction and other carrier
systems installed on a wall or building. The
climate, aspect, and light conditions of the area
to be vertically planted are the first factors to be
considered. Plant selection should be made by
looking at the climate of the region, the altitude
and the zone values that show the cold resistance
of the plants. The temperature and humidity
requirements and growth rates of the plants that
will take place in vertical planting should be
close to each other. The first green walls were
built in BC. It was first noticed about 1500 when
Egyptians began to cultivate grapes (Saki &
Küçükali, 2020). It was roughly 30 years ago
when green walls were first introduced to the
public sphere. Patric Blanc, a French botanist,
created the first living wall system (Weinmaster,
2009). Green walls refer to the use of plants to
green vertical surfaces such as walls, facades,
partition walls, and blind walls, as well as the
growing of plants on, up, and within a building's
wall.
Green Wall Types
Green wall systems are divided into two
categories based on their intended use: green
façades and living walls. Climbing plants that
grow directly against the wall (using aerial roots,
leaf tendrils, and adhesion pads) or have an
indirect support system (e.g., wire, mesh, trellis)
are commonly used in green façades (Vox,
Blanco, & Schettini, 2018). Green façades often
take a long time to cover and have a limited plant
selection. Living walls, on the other hand, allow
for more constant vegetation development over
the surface and the utilization of a variety of plant
species (Perini, Ottelé, Haas, & Raiteri, 2013).
Living wall systems, on the other hand, may need
constant nutrition and watering (Manso,
Teotónio, Silva, & Cruz, 2021).
Green Wall Application Systems
In literature, there are different number of
building systems of green walls. According to
Safikhani et al., (2014), there are four types of
green wall building techniques exists tree-
against-wall type, wall-climbing, hanging-down
type, and module type. Although tree-against-
wall systems are not technically vertical greenery
systems, their results are comparable. Plants can
cover wall surfaces directly or utilize trellises to
ascend in wall-climbing kinds, which are typical
in traditional architecture (Sheweka & Magdy,
2011). Wall climbing is simple but covering
whole facade surfaces with flora takes effort.
Plants with long pedicels on balconies or top of
buildings produce hanging-down kinds. This
kind is a combination of a green roof and a green
facade. All facades will be green in a short time
if hanging-down type plants are used on each
level of the building; moreover, the façade will
be colourful and aesthetically appealing if
different types of plants are used. The final
technique, module type, is the other technique.
Module plants have the advantages of being fast-
growing, colourful, variety, appealing, and easy
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to replace when they get spoilt or wilted (Yu &
Hien, 2011).
According to the Manso et. al., (2021), Palermo
& Turco (2021) and Addo-Bankas et. al. (2021):
green façades can be built in two ways directly
and indirect because they are low systemic
technology, with few constituent pieces, and a
minimal level of interaction between plants and
walls. Also light, easy to install, and often
intended at promoting the natural growth of
plants, primarily climbing plants, which can have
evergreen or deciduous leaves and grow to a
large height, taking several years to cover the
entire wall. Living walls can be continuous and
modular. Permeable screens, such as foam or felt
layers, are used as a substrate in which plants are
individually put to create continuous living walls.
They lack a dirt base and have been observed to
clog easily, limiting their use in various
wastewater treatment methods. Containers
containing substrate material such as soil or
mineral granules, on the other hand, are put into
a supporting framework one above the other or
mounted directly on the vertical surface in
modular living walls. Plant and substrate
containers in the shape of trays, vessels, planter
tiles or flexible bags, pocket-typed planters, and
panels make up modular living walls. All of them
need support structures.
Plant Species Used in Green Walls
The choice of plants, which are the most
important elements used in green walls, may vary
due to the climatic conditions of the region, the
humidity level, as well as the benefits and harms
that it spreads on the plants.
There are ways to choose plants to use when
building a green wall. First, attention should be
paid to the growth of the plant and the location of
the wall to be built. Then creativity is a must to
get the most out of your green wall by making
good use of available resources. Aesthetics and
taste are a personal matter, but when it comes to
vertical gardening it is essential to practice some
form of symmetry. Various flowering plants can
be tried to be grown, plants with leaves of
different sizes can be combined. Finally,
biodiversity will bring vertical gardening to your
green space, providing much-needed
biodiversity in our naturally overbuilt urban
environment (Fantastic Gardeners, 2021).
Ferns (Figure 1) are very adaptable and moisture
resistant plants that may swiftly cover enormous
areas by growing on walls. They're best for
vertical planting since they like to grow
downwards. Sword ferns, bird's nest ferns, and
blue star ferns are the simplest to incorporate into
your living wall. Ferns, which bring out the deep
and light hues of green, are prevalent on green
walls. Bromeliads (Figure 2) have shallow roots
and require minimal room to flourish. As a result,
they complement the green wall well. The
blooms are unusual and persist for a long time.
Succulent plants (Figure 3) do not require much
care, their habitat is wide. Therefore, their use is
quite common. Even if no care is taken, the plant
will not die, it can even grow better. Species such
as Crassula, echeveria and sedum are mostly
used in green wall designs. Vines (Figure 4) do
not require intensive care. It is a type of plant that
loves sunlight and spreads quickly (Fantastic
Gardeners, 2021). Basil, parsley, chives, dill,
mint, thyme, oregano, marjoram, lemon balm,
and cilantro are the best herbs to use on green
walls (Leonard, 2020). Pothos, golden pothos,
devil’s ivy, tradescantia; are classic houseplants
all over the world (Figure 5 & Figure 6). These
plants are one of the more forgiving indoor
plants, tolerant to low light, high light, watering,
dry periods, rich soils, poor soils, neutral,
alkaline, and acid conditions (Rathour, 2017).
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Figure 1. Ferns (Strenge, 2020)
Figure 2. Bromeliads (Vanzile,
2021)
Figure 3. Succulent plants
(Skiba & Esseveld, 2016)
Figure 4. Vines (O’Toole’s
Garden Centers, 2021)
Figure 5. Tradescantia and
Pothos (Live Wall, 2021)
Figure 6. Devil’s Ivy (Wolfe &
Wolfe, 2020)
Green Wall Benefits
Green walls conserve energy, reduce sound
transmission through buildings, and help in the
treatment of grey water. It may shade and protect
bare walls while also lowering surface and air
temperatures. They can be employed as a feature
in new construction as well as to retrofit existing
structures. At scale, green walls can provide
ecosystem services such as urban heat island
reduction, water management, noise reduction,
and improved air quality. Furthermore, their
implementation may have other benefits, such as
contributing to the aesthetic enhancement and
recreational use of public places, enabling the use
of urban agriculture, nourishing biodiversity, and
increasing people' health and well-being.
Air Quality Improvement
Urban environments typically contain greater
concentrations of air emissions that are harmful
to human health. According to the European
Environment Agency, urban residents are often
subjected to levels of air emissions above the
limit values. Plant types, depending on their
shape and scale, can sequester atmospheric
contaminants and ingest carbon dioxide to
improve their vital functions. Evergreen conifers
can be more beneficial than deciduous species as
they hold their leaves all year long.
Energy Consumption Reduction
Green walls can increase energy efficiency in
buildings. Performance varies according to
system characteristics, physical characteristics of
buildings and local climate conditions. Green
walls can have an energy efficiency of 34% and
living walls of 59% to 66% during the cooling
time in the CSA climate, according to studies.
Sound Transmission Reduction
Few research studies show how the addition of a
green wall can have a major effect on the
reduction of sound transmission. Some authors
have shown that green walls often have good
sound absorption properties compared to other
cladding materials.
Greywater Treatment
Local greywater recycling can save water by 9%
– 46% (Manso, Teotónio, Silva, & Cruz, 2021)
inside the household. Greywater use, providing
simultaneous treatment, may be a cost-effective
option to using freshwater to fulfil certain water
needs in houses. If a greywater system is built in
the house, no substantial additional costs are
needed for the use of greywater as a green roof
or green wall irrigation.
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The mentioned benefits of green walls can be
titled as environmental benefits. Green walls also
have user-scale benefits like reducing
psychological and physiological stress, increased
sense of well-being, developing the ability to
refocus attention, relaxation of the mind and
reduction of mental stress, increased
performance on cognitive tasks, faster recovery
and pain tolerance for patients, more
environmentally friendly approach.
Results and Discussion
The use of green walls has become a highly
preferred trend in recent years, both in terms of
aesthetics and because of its benefits. They can
be used in many interiors. For example,
restaurants, hotel lobbies, cafes, clinics,
hospitals, residences, and offices are examples of
these places. In this part of the study, the data
obtained as a result of the survey study will be
included. The survey was carried out with the
participation of people aged between 18-75
living in the TRNC and Turkey. The survey study
consists of three parts: personal information,
social information, and questions about the green
wall.
Personal Information
In this part of the survey, questions of gender,
age, nationality, educational status, and
occupation were included.
Gender
Participation in the survey study was 58.5%
female and male users were 41.3% (Figure 7).
Participation in the survey was mostly female
users.
Age
The response to the study was 38.5% between the
ages of 18-25, 46.2% in the 26-40 age group,
13.1% in the 41-55 age group, 1.5% in the 56-65
age group, and finally 0.8% in the 66-75 age
group (Figure 8). As a result of these data, the
majority of the participants participating in the
survey were between the ages of 26-40 and 18-
25.
Figure 7. Gender graphic (Authors)
Figure 8. Age range graphic (Authors)
Nationality
Participation in the survey study is mostly from
Turkey with 62.3%. Participation from the
TRNC resulted in 37.7% (Figure 9).
Education Level
51% of the participants who participated in the
study were university graduates, 32% higher
education graduates, 14% high school graduates,
and 1% primary and secondary school graduates
(Figure 10).
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Figure 9. Nationality graphic (Authors)
Figure 10. Education level graphic (Authors)
Occupation Status
37% of the participants are employed, 36% are students, 16% are unemployed and 11% are self-employed
(Figure 11).
Figure 11. Occupation status (Authors)
Figure 12. Whether or not the participant heard
about sustainability (Authors)
Social Information
In this part of the survey study, seven questions
were asked to the participants. In general, these
questions consist of issues related to
sustainability and green walls.
Have you ever heard about sustainability?
All 130 participants in the study answered yes or
no whether they had heard of sustainability. The
participants who answered yes resulted in 91.5%
and 8.5% of the participants who answered no
(Figure 12). From this analysis, it has been
understood that the majority of the participating
springs have an idea about what sustainability is.
Do you know Green Walls are one of the most
important key elements of sustainability?
Participants were asked for their opinions on
whether green walls are an important element of
sustainability. All the participants answered the
question that was answered as yes or no. 60.8%
answered yes, 39.2% no (Figure 13).
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Figure 13. whether green walls are an important
element of sustainability (Authors)
Figure 14. A living wall and green façade
(Authors)
Do you know the difference between living
walls and green façades?
Participants were asked whether they knew the
difference between living walls and green
facades, with yes or no answers. According to the
answers of 130 people, 53.8% answered yes and
46.2% no, it was understood that most of the
participants knew the difference between them
(Figure 14).
Have you ever visited a place/space that has a
green wall inside?
Participants were asked if they had ever been to
a place with a green wall on the interior wall
surface. While 68.2% said they had been when
they answered yes, 31.8% said they had not been
when they answered no. As a result, it was
discovered that most of the participants were in a
place with the green wall before (Figure 15).
If you visited a place/space that has a green
wall, what was the place?
When the participants were asked where it was if
they had previously visited a place with a green
wall on the wall plane of the interior, 59.6% of
them stated that they visited in a public place and
40.4% in private places (Figure 16).
What do you think about the use of the green
wall in indoor spaces?
When asked whether the green walls used
indoors are useful or not, 90.6% answered that
they found it useful, and 9.4% answered that they
did not find it useful (Figure 17).
Figure 15. Whether they have been in a place
with a green wall (Authors)
Figure 16. What was the place (Authors)
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Figure 17. Useful or not (Authors)
Figure 18. Different effects on the design of the
spaces (Authors)
Do you think Green Walls have any different
effects on the design of the spaces?
Participants were asked whether green walls
have a different effect on interior design when
used indoors. Of the responses received, 91.5%
of the users thought that the use of green walls in
the interior made a difference, 7% did not think
that it made a difference, and 1.6% answered that
they had no idea (Figure 18). At the same time,
the interpretation of user opinions was also asked
in this question, and some of the comments
received are as follows:
− Helps to strengthen the indoor and outdoor
connection.
− Visual beauty, psychological comfort.
− It offers a more friendly and spacious
environment.
− Each space design is designed in line with
human needs. Thus, I think that green walls
have extremely positive and relaxing effects
on human psychology.
− I think it is a more heart-warming design that
reflects natural life.
− Green walls not only have very good visual
effects in design but also have great effects
on psychological and air cleanliness and
temperature drops, depending on the areas in
which they are used.
− By changing the general ambience of the
place, they bring nature closer to us.
− If a live plant is used, I find it very useful
because it provides oxygen regeneration in
the space.
Green Wall
In this section, the participants were given certain
green wall benefits based on the data obtained
through the literature review, and they were
asked to rate them as 1 strongly agree and 5
strongly disagree.
The Colour green gives relaxation.
The participants were asked to what extent they
agreed with the relief of the green colour.
According to the answers given, 50% of the
participants strongly agree with the situation,
18% agree, 10.9% are not sure, 9.4% disagree,
and finally 11.7% strongly disagree (Figure 19).
Green walls make the place more aesthetic.
The participants were asked their thoughts on
how green walls could make a place more
aesthetic, and to what extent they participated in
the situation. According to the data obtained,
43.8% of the participants strongly agree, 20.8%
agree, 14.6% are not sure, 8.5% disagree, and
finally 12.3% strongly disagree (Figure 20).
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Figure 19. Giving relaxation (Authors)
Figure 20. Making the place more aesthetic
(Authors)
Green walls can reduce psychological and
physiological stress.
Participants were asked to rate the situation
where green walls prevent psychological and
physiological stress. 50% of the responses
strongly agree, 20% agree, 10.8% are not sure,
6.2% disagree and 13.1% strongly disagree are
the other responses (Figure 21).
Green walls develop the ability to refocus
attention.
Participants were asked to rate whether green
walls helped refocus. While 30.8% of the
participants strongly agree with the given
situation, 21.5% agree, 28.5% are not sure,
10.8% do not agree, and finally, 8.5% strongly
disagree (Figure 22).
Figure 21. Reducing psychological and
physiological stress (Authors)
Figure 22. Ability to refocus attention (Authors)
Green walls can improve the air quality of
the room.
It was requested to evaluate the situation where
green walls renew and improve the air in the
room. 42.6% of the participants strongly agree
with the given situation, 17.8% agree, 17.1% are
not sure, 7.8% disagree and 14.7% strongly
disagree (Figure 23).
Green walls can make energy saving.
Participants were asked to rate whether they
agree with the issue that green walls save energy.
While 30% of the answers strongly agree with
the given situation, 16.9% agree, 24.6% are not
sure, 12.3% disagree and 16.2% strongly
disagree (Figure 24).
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Figure 23. Improving air quality (Authors)
Figure 24. Making energy (Authors)
Green walls can reduce the sound therefore
it can provide privacy.
The participants were asked whether they
support the situation where green walls do not
absorb sound and provide privacy, and they were
asked to evaluate. According to the answers
given by the participants, the rate of strongly
agreeing with the given situation was 29.5%, the
rate of agreement was 20.9%, the rate of being
unsure was 20.2%, the rate of disagreement was
12.4%, and the rate of strongly disagreeing was
17.1% (Figure 25).
Green walls can arrange the room
temperature.
Participants were asked to rate the green walls
balancing the indoor room temperature. While
27.7% of the participants strongly agree with the
given situation, 22.3% agree, 22.3% are not sure,
8.5% disagree and 19.2% strongly disagree
(Figure 26).
Figure 25. Providing privacy(Authors)
Figure 26. Arranging the rooms’ temperature
(Authors)
Green walls can arrange the room’s
humidity.
The participants were asked to evaluate the
balancing of the indoor humidity of the green
walls. According to the evaluation given, the
participants strongly agree with the situation
32%, agree 16.4%, be unsure 23.4%, disagree
14.1% and strongly disagree 14.1% (Figure 27).
Green walls can improve human health.
The positive effects of green walls on human
health were asked and the participants were
asked to evaluate how much they participated in
this situation. While 38.8% of the participants
strongly agree with the given situation, 18.6%
agree, 21.7% are not sure, 9.3% disagree and
11.6% strongly disagree (Figure 28).
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Figure 27. Arranging the rooms’ humidity
(Authors)
Figure 28. Improving human health (Authors)
Findings and Results
It was analysed that female user, 18-25 and 26-
40 age groups, university graduate users and
working users mostly responded to the survey
study. It was learned that most of the participants
had heard of the concept of sustainability before.
It has been observed from the answers received
that green walls are known to be an important
element of sustainability. Most of the participants
know the difference between a green facade and
a living wall. According to the answers, more
than half of the users who participated in the
survey stated that they had been in a place with a
green wall in their interior before. According to
the answers to the question of whether the place
they visited was a public place or a private place,
it was learned that more than half of the users
who participated in the survey visited a public
place. At the same time, users think that the use
of green walls in the interior is beneficial for the
place and themselves. Accordingly, it has been
analysed that they think that the use of green
walls in the interior has different effects on
interior design. According to user comments,
green walls refresh a space, strengthen the
connection between indoor and outdoor, add
psychological relaxation and visual pleasure,
bring the natural environment indoors, renew and
strengthen the oxygen in the interior, and are
therefore beneficial for human health.
According to half of the users participating in the
survey, the green colour gives people peace of
mind. While 43.8% of the participants strongly
agree that the use of green walls makes a place
look more aesthetic, 12.3% strongly disagree.
According to the answers, half of the users who
participated in the survey strongly agree that
green walls reduce psychological and
physiological stress, while 13.1% strongly
disagree. While 30.8% of the participants think
that green walls help them to focus again, 8.5%
strongly disagree. 42.6% of respondents think
that green walls improve indoor air quality.
While 30% of the answers to the survey study
strongly agree that green walls save energy,
16.2% strongly disagree. The green walls have
many indentations and protrusions due to the
plants it contains, so the sound does not hit these
volumes and pass behind the plane, and its spread
in the room is low. Depending on this situation,
29.5% of the users completely agree with the
privacy that can be achieved due to the
soundproofing of the green walls, while 17.1%
strongly disagree. While 27.7% of users strongly
agree with the green wall's ability to regulate
indoor temperature, 19.2% strongly disagree. At
the same time, 32% of users strongly agree with
green walls' ability to regulate indoor humidity,
while 14.1% of users strongly disagree.
According to the answers to the survey, 38.8% of
the participants think that green walls have
positive effects on human health, while 11.6% of
them do not.
Conclusion
This study was conducted to analyse the effects
of green walls on users, to investigate and
evaluate the benefits of using green walls in
spaces, and to guide the widespread use of green
walls in future projects. In this context, both
quantitative and qualitative research methods
were used in the research by making a literature
review and a questionnaire study.
Green walls are one of the green infrastructure
systems that help prevent environmental
problems such as global warming and climate
change. Green walls are constructed by planting
an interior wall or a building's exterior wall
plane. The green walls used in the interior are
called living walls, and the green walls used in
the exterior wall are called green facades. Living
walls are modular if stacked using containers
with fillers such as earth or minerals; by using
permeable layers such as foam or felt, plants can
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/ May 2022
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be built in a continuous form if they are added to
this system separately. Green facades are
constructed by attaching plants directly to the
wall plane or indirectly mounting them to the
wall plane with modular guides such as traction
cables, gratings, stainless steel ropes. At the same
time, the use of special boxes positioned at
intermediate heights or on the ground can be seen
on green facades. According to the data analysed
as a result of the literature review, the
construction method of green walls was
examined in four types, such as the tree-based
type, the wall-climbing, the hanging type, and the
module type in some studies, as well as the
information mentioned in some studies. Plants
used in the type based on the tree wall can cover
the surface of the wall as it is. The wall-climbing
type is the type that is used quite a lot in
traditional architecture. In this system, which has
a simple structure, cages can be used to lengthen
the plants, and the surfaces of the wall facades
can be covered with plants. When the hanging
types are examined, they are long-stemmed
plants that are used hanging on the balconies of
the facades or the tops of the buildings. Plants
used in modular type have the advantage as they
can be changed quickly when deformed. In this
system, colourful, showy, different varieties and
easy growing plants are preferred. It is preferred
to use long-lived plants that are easy to care for,
such as succulent plants, vines, and moss on
green walls.
Green walls, which have an important role in
ensuring the continuity of sustainability, provide
benefits to both the environment and people.
When these benefits are examined, it is observed
that green walls increase the air quality, regulate
and clean the airflow in the space, and make
positive contributions to the environment by
keeping the humidity and heat balances under
control. The plants selected according to the
climatic characteristics of the region to be used
and the green walls designed to meet the needs of
the environment have effects such as carbon
emission and energy saving. In addition to such
environmental benefits, there are also benefits
that it creates for humans. Green walls reduce
both psychological and physiological stress. The
visual perception created by the green colour and
plants gives a feeling of comfort by leaving a
calm and peaceful impression on people. It
provides the opportunity to regain the ability to
focus by reducing mental stress. While an
increase in the performance of cognitive tasks
can be observed, it can also create benefits in the
field of health by affecting the rapid recovery of
sick users.
According to the majority of male and female
users between the ages of 18-75 living in Turkey
and the TRNC who participated in the survey,
they answered that the green walls used in the
interior have a different touch in the interior
design and are beneficial for the space and the
user. More than half of the participants in the
study have an idea about the concept of
sustainability and have been in a place where a
green wall is used indoors. In general, the green
colour gives a sense of comfort to half of the
users surveyed. At the same time, nearly half of
the participating users think that green walls add
aesthetic beauty to the interior. Half of the
participants agree with the reduction of
physiological and psychological stress, while
30.8% agree with the improvement of the ability
to refocus. The participants stated that they
agreed with the role of green walls in improving
air quality with 42.6%. While 30% of users
strongly agree with the energy-saving of green
walls, 16.9% only agree. 29.5% of users think
that green walls provide privacy as they are
soundproof. 27.7% of users strongly agree that
green walls can adjust the room temperature,
while 22.3% only agree. And at the same time,
32% of users think about the contribution of
green walls in regulating indoor humidity, while
16.4% only think about it. The rate of users who
think about the positive effects of green walls on
human health is 38.8%, and the rate of users who
only think about it is 18.6%.
In this context, the answers to the survey study
were analysed and the benefits of the use of green
walls indoors on the user were interpreted
according to the opinions of the users living in
Turkey and the TRNC. The increase in the use of
green walls indoors in Turkey and the TRNC and
their use in future projects will create positive
effects for users. This research, which was made
as a result of the data obtained, is important in
terms of being an example for the studies and
designs to be made and being used as a source.
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