Study of Climbing Plant Species for Application of Vertical Greening in DSD Facilities

Professor JIM Chi-yung (HKU)

Abstract
A green wall (vertical greening) experiment was set up at the Shatin Sewage Treatment Works of DSD in 2009. Four circular sludge tanks, each with 1136 m2 of vertical bare concrete surfaces, were designated for the field study. The main research objectives include: (1) evaluation of climber species performance in relation to key growth parameters of aspect, supporting mechanism, and growth medium; and (2) monitoring the cooling effect of the vegetated walls under the humid-subtropical condition of Hong Kong using a combination of temperature and other microclimatic sensors and data loggers. Three experiments were designed to evaluate different groups of factors: (1) evaluating the effect of site conditions including orientation, climbing mode, and soil quality; (2) testing the performance of 20 selected climber species; and (3) monitoring the cooling effect afforded by the different types of vertical greenery. The original plan was to collect data for two years, and it was subsequently extended by one year to gather more data to enrich the study. After the end of the data collection period at the end of December 2012, more detailed data analysis will be conducted to sum up the whole study. The findings could inform the design and species choice for future green wall projects in Hong Kong and the region.

About the Speaker
Professor C.Y. JIM, Chair Professor in Geography at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), focuses his research on the nature-in-city core theme, encompassing urban ecology, urban forestry, green roof, green wall, urban green spaces, urban soil science, and urban nature conservation. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach with an emphasis on compact and south cities, he works mainly in Hong Kong and other Chinese cities and covers both conceptual and applied studies.