Plants as Climate-Friendly Air Conditioning: City of Vienna Promotes Greening of Buildings
The positive effect of green buildings on the climate is undisputed. To promote the implementation of green buildings, the City of Vienna provides generous subsidies of up to € 20,200. Interested parties can obtain free advice on this subject from Eco Counselling (DIE UMWELTBERATUNG) in Vienna.
Planting suitable or specially prepared facades with plants is a form of facade greening. Municipalities promote facade greening because of its positive effect on urban climate and experience value. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Biotekt, Thorwald Brandwein / CC BY-SA 2.5 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)
The positive impact of greening buildings extends not only to the ambient temperature but also to the indoor climate of buildings. "Greening building is a significant step toward adapting to climate change in the city. Green facades create maximum cooling with minimum space requirements. We cordially invite you to take the first steps towards greening with the support of Eco Counselling," says Alexandra Syen, garden expert at Eco Counselling.
The possibilities of building greening are manifold and can be implemented directly on the facade, on the roof, or in the surroundings of the building. During the initial consultations, Eco Counselling offers information on the relevant subsidies of the City of Vienna as well as on the official requirements. In addition, recommendations for implementing companies are given, support is provided in submitting applications for subsidies, and suitable plant selections are recommended.
Viennese citizens benefit from the greening of their buildings in many ways:
- The plants on the facade cool the building and the surrounding area through shading and evaporative cooling via the leaves.
- Facade greenery helps improve air quality.
- Climbing plants protect the building structure from the effects of extreme weather conditions.
- In addition, the plants provide valuable habitat for urban wildlife.
- Last but not least, greenery also contributes to the increased well-being of residents
Greening buildings is also an effective means of counteracting the so-called heat island effect, which is leading to increasingly hot summer months in our cities due to climate change. Sealed surfaces, facades, and roofs store the sun's heat and radiate it to the surrounding area, causing cities to heat up more than rural structures. Planting green spaces is an effective way to counteract the effects of heat. The sooner the plants are planted, the sooner they can start their cooling effect.
Consultation appointments can be made by phone, virtually, or on-site and are offered free of charge thanks to the support of the City of Vienna - Environmental Protection. The consultations are conducted on behalf of the City of Vienna - Environmental Protection and last one hour. To arrange a consultation appointment, interested parties can use the telephone number 01 803 32 32 or the e-mail address service@umweltberatung.at.
About Eco Counselling
Eco Counselling offers individual consulting for both private individuals and companies. Since 1988, they have been informing and advising on environmental protection projects and offering easily understandable and practice-oriented ecological knowledge. Their consultants answer inquiries independently and support private households, educational institutions, institutions and businesses. By acting ecologically, resources can be conserved, the climate protected, health improved, biodiversity preserved and even costs saved - Eco Counselling is happy to assist its customers. For more information, visit their website at www.umweltberatung.at/referenzen.