The hidden benefits of ivy revealed!
Climbing plant can help insulate homes, research proves
AFTER years of ivy being vilified for wrecking walls and destroying mortar, the latest research has revealed that this climbing plant is actually a great weapon in the fight against global warming.
Scientists at the RHS, in collaboration with Reading University have discovered that this maligned climber is the most effective plant cover for cooling buildings and reducing humidity.
The paper, recently published in the Building and Environment Journal, determines the impact of green facades and vegetative cover on the temperature and relative humidity within buildings.
Ivy helped cool buildings in summer
It comes at a time when more people
are turning towards ‘vertical gardening’ and looking at ways of growing upwards instead of on the level.
This paper looked at the impact of three plant species: Hedera helix (ivy),
Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Virginia creeper) and Pileostegia viburnoides
(climbing hydrangea) on temperature and humidity when grown as a wall cover for buildings.
The evidence showed that the best plant for summer cooling was provided by ivy. It was able to reduce the internal and external wall temperature by 7.2ºC (45ºF) and 5.7ºC (42ºF) respectively. Not only did ivy provide the best summer cooling for buildings, it also demonstrated the greatest summer reduction in daily variation of relative humidity (RH).
Dr Tijana Blanuša, RHS principal horticultural scientist said: “Many people with limited space are turning towards vertical gardening as a way of greening their homes or workplaces.
Green walls are increasingly popular
“The RHS has been keen to encourage new ways of gardening – and the development of vertical green walls using affordable climbing plants has proved to be a welcome addition. I hope that this research will help people decide which plants they want to grow.”
Dr Blanuša worked alongside Dr Faye Thomsit-Ireland, Dr Emmanuel A Essah and Paul Hadley of Reading University.