Field evaluation of precipitation interception potential of green façades

Tiwary, Abhishek, Godsmark, K. and Smethurst, J. (2018) Field evaluation of precipitation interception potential of green façades. Ecological Engineering, 122. pp. 69-75. ISSN 0925-8574

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Abstract

This paper evaluates the potential of living green façades in intercepting precipitation and delaying ‘canopy through-flow’ (i.e. total precipitation minus canopy interception). Precipitation interception and delayed through-flow (i.e. discharge) from two visually distinct mixed-species green façade configurations – one, fully-foliated and the other twiggy (respectively as proxies for well-managed and degenerated stands) – were monitored using rain gauges located at their base. The precipitation interception levels for the fully-foliated and the twiggy stands respectively ranged between 54 and 94% and 10–55% of the total precipitation. Regression of the experimental data showed interception volumes were proportional to the ambient precipitation up to a maximum tested event size of 35 mm. The fully-foliated façade gave a delay of at least 30 min from the start of precipitation events to the first measured through-flow, compared to about 15 min for the twiggy façade. This highlights the potential for well-foliated and maintained façades to contribute to reducing peak flows within urban drainage infrastructure, and the importance of façade maintenance in ensuring good interception and delay properties.

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