Assessment of the cooling potential of an indoor living wall using different substrates in a warm climate

The use of vertical greenery systems in buildings is becoming very popular as they provide several benefits. In this work, the influence of an indoor living wall on the temperature and humidity in a hall inside the School of Agricultural Engineering (University of Seville) was studied. Four different substrates, Geotextile, Epiweb, Xaxim and coconut fibre, were used to grow the plants in order to assess their performance. Several parameters such as temperature, humidity, plant growth or water consumption were monitored and analyzed during a 4-month period. The cooling effect of the living wall was proven, with an average reduction of 4°C over the room temperature though maximum decrements of 6°C have been observed in warmer conditions. Higher air humidity levels were experienced near the living wall, increasing the overall humidity in the room. All the substrates tested were suitable for plant growing and their behaviour was similar. Geotextile showed the best cooling capacity but higher water consumption, coconut fibre presented degradation problems and Epiweb performance was the poorest. Therefore, these systems have been proven to be very useful and interesting for warm indoor environments due to the cooling effect observed in addition to their bio-filtration capacity and the aesthetic component

A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems

Technology is transforming societies worldwide. A significant innovation is the emergence of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS), which have the potential to revolutionise cities for both people and nature. Nonetheless, the opportunities and challenges associated with RAS for urban ecosystems have yet to be considered systematically. Here, we report the findings of an online horizon scan involving 170 expert participants from 35 countries. We conclude that RAS are likely to transform land-use, transport systems and human-nature interactions. The prioritised opportunities were primarily centred on the deployment of RAS for monitoring and management of biodiversity and ecosystems. Fewer challenges were prioritised.Those that were emphasised concerns surrounding waste from unrecovered RAS, and the quality and interpretation of RAS-collected data. Although the future impacts of RAS for urban ecosystems are hard to predict, examining potentially important developments early is essential if we are to avoid detrimental consequences, but fully realise the benefits

Naturación urbana y jardinería vertical: de las fachadas verdes a los muros vegetales

En las últimas décadas, las urbes están creciendo considerablemente, dedicándose un porcentaje cada vez más elevado a edificaciones. Se prevé que en el periodo entre 2000 y 2030, la población urbana del mundo habrá aumentado un 72%, mientras que la superficie de las zonas edificadas donde viven 100.000 o más personas podría aumentar en un 175%. En este difícil contexto, la aplicación de los principios de sostenibilidad en las áreas urbanas se erige como uno de los mayores retos de las políticas ambientales del siglo XXI. Su éxito dependerá en gran medida del modelo de ciudad a desarrollar, particularmente en lo que se refiere a la relación entre desarrollo urbano y consumo de recursos ambientales

Aprendizaje basado en proyectos y trabajo en equipo: experiencia de innovación docente en hidráulica para graduados en Ingeniería Agrícola

En este trabajo se describe un proyecto de innovación docente para la mejora de los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje de Hidráulica en el Grado de Ingeniería Agrícola. El proyecto consistió en plantear, en dos etapas diferenciadas, metodologías de aprendizaje basadas en proyectos y en el trabajo en equipo. En la primera etapa, un estudiante de último curso de titulación diseñó, construyó y validó la funcionalidad de dos bancos didácticos de ensayo de bombas centrífugas. Este trabajo le permitió alcanzar un nivel avanzado de conocimientos teórico-prácticos de Hidráulica así como la realización de su Proyecto Fin de Carrera. En una segunda etapa, los bancos didácticos de ensayo de bombas fueron utilizados en la docencia de la asignatura de Grado en la que se imparte Hidráulica. Los profesores propusieron a los estudiantes diversas actividades prácticas de trabajo en grupo en las que debían utilizar los bancos de ensayo. En estas actividades los estudiantes debían resolver empíricamente (i.e. utilizando los bancos) problemas planteados previamente por los profesores y comparar dichos resultados con los obtenidos de forma analítica de acuerdo a los contenidos teóricos explicados en las clases de aula. Los resultados de un único curso académico indican que la utilización y manipulación por parte de los estudiantes de sistemas de impulsión reales no incrementó el grado de adquisición de competencias específicas relacionadas con los sistemas hidráulicos de impulsión frente al resto de competencias específicas de la asignatura

Water management assessment in a historic garden: the case study of the Real Alcazar (Seville, Spain)

Irrigation plays a very important role in a Mediterranean garden. In spite of this, there are not many studies assessing irrigation water management of landscapes. Moreover, historic gardens represent a special challenge due to their unique characteristics. The aim of this work is the characterization and evaluation of water management in a historic garden. For that, the gardens of The Real Alcazar of Seville were used as a case study. They comprise a total of 20 gardens of different styles with a total area of nearly 7 ha. Landscape water requirements and irrigation volume applied were estimated and used in conjunction with other descriptive and financial variables to calculate 6 performance indicators. Only 20% of gardens showed adequate irrigation in the spring-autumn period, being 10% during summer. However, the two well-watered gardens represent 30% of the total irrigated area. Management, operation and maintenance costs are 0.63 €·m−2 representing 0.58 € per volume of irrigation water used (m−3). Results obtained support the need of improving irrigation management. For that, simple solutions such as installing metering devices, calculating actual water requirements or optimizing irrigation schedules can be implemented. Other more complex actions such as modifying the irrigation network or creating hydrozones might also be explored

Multidisciplinary Education for New Landscape Engineering Concepts using Problem-Based Collaborative Learning. A Case Study in Spain

Problem-based learning (PBL) is widely regarded as a successful educational method. In Spain, most engineering degrees are still based mainly on old style lecture classes where a great deal of information is given to the students. This work assesses the introduction of a PBL strategy as a complement to traditional engineering education. The instructors’ and students’ attitudes towards its implementation are studied. A new approach has been proposed for the PBL strategy: instead of a single problem, a chain of problems was developed that could be solved in a collaborative environment. Results from the experience showed a high level of student acceptance. Response to the PBL initiative was found to be positive both for instructors and students, though lack of time, difficulties in evaluations and an increase in students’ and teachers’ workloads were the main disadvantages. Compared with traditional engineering curricula, the mixed traditional–PBL model appears to inspire a higher degree of involvement in study activities where on-line learning tools played an important role

Uso de imágenes térmicas aéreas en remolacha azucarera (Beta vulgaris) para propuesta de riego de precisión

Para un manejo adecuado del riego es necesario tener información disponible de una manera rápida y sencilla. Gracias a los avances tecnológicos, esto es posible. En este trabajo se han utilizado imágenes captadas mediante una cámara térmica montada sobre un vehículo aéreo para evaluar el estado hídrico de un cultivo de remolacha azucarera en una parcela con una gran variabilidad espacial en las propiedades del suelo. Los resultados se han comparado con mediciones puntuales de la humedad del suelo. No se ha percibido una relación directa entre el estado hídrico del suelo y del cultivo. Por otro lado, sí se advierte una tendencia decreciente en la producción en relación al estrés hídrico detectado en el cultivo gracias a las imágenes térmicas. Se observan claramente las diferencias entre los distintos tipos de suelo, de modo que queda patente la conveniencia de llevar a cabo estrategias de riego diferenciales en función de la distribución de los mismos, especialmente en parcelas muy heterogéneas

Wind tunnel analysis of artificial substrates used in active living walls for indoor environment conditioning in Mediterranean buildings.

In this paper, a low-speed wind tunnel was used for experimental analysis of water volume retained, pressure drop, saturation efficiency and water consumption for three types of synthetic substrates used in active living walls: polyester (PR), polyurethane (PU) and polyamideepolypropylene (PAePP) The substrates were of a similar thickness and were tested for different water and air flows. The water retained increases with higher water flow. The pressure drop increases with the presence of vegetation and when air speed and water flow is higher. Cooling efficiency is enhanced with vegetation and low air speed. Specific consumption of water is greater with vegetation at higher air speeds. (PDF) Wind tunnel analysis of artificial substrates used in active living walls for indoor environment conditioning in Mediterranean buildings. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280232473_Wind_tunnel_analysis_of_artificial_substrates_used_in_active_living_walls_for_indoor_environment_conditioning_in_Mediterranean_buildings [accessed Sep 18 2018]

Economic Sustainability of Small-Scale Aquaponic Systems for Food Self-Production

Aquaponics involves the simultaneous production of plants and fish and it is increasingly being used with a self-consumption purpose. However, there are uncertainties and little information about the economic sustainability of small-scale self-managed aquaponic systems. The objective of this study was to obtain economic information about these systems, including the level of commoditization of food production as a measure of their autonomy. For this purpose, two small-scale aquaponic systems (SAS) based on FAO models were self-constructed using cheap and easy-to-obtain materials and monitored for a year. A total of 62 kg of tilapia and 352 kg of 22 different vegetables and fruits were produced, with an average net agricultural added value of 151.3 €. Results showed positive accounting profit but negative economic profit when labor costs were included. The degree of commoditization was around 44%, which allows a certain autonomy, thanks to the use of family labor force

Vertical Greening Systems and Sustainable Cities

Urban development is causing environmental and social concerns that are compromising human welfare and cities sustainability. New urban greening concepts are appearing in order to mitigate these problems in a sustainable and natural way. Vertical greening systems can be defined as structures which allow vegetation to spread over a building facade or interior wall. These systems are becoming popular though they are still evolving and more knowledge on some of their particular impacts is required. In the last five years, the number of studies published in the scientific literature on this topic, especially involving living walls, has significantly increased. This scientific interest has been corresponded with an increased and parallel attention by the general public. This work offers a broad description of the different systems and a comprehensive review of the particular benefits of these green infrastructures. Knowledge gaps and shortcomings have also been identified and discussed