Perception of Green Infrastructure Systems: Green Walls and Green Roofs

Abstract

Integrating green walls (GWs) and green roofs (GRs) into urban areas enables several sustainable development objectives to be met. However, there is little research on the aesthetic perception and environmental and psychological benefits that users assign to these greening systems. Therefore, this paper evaluated the perception towards these two green infrastructures, GWs and GRs. The research was conducted via the Internet through a semi-structured survey with Likert scale questions, with a total of 243 participants. The results revealed that approximately 90 % of the participants have a positive perception of GWs and GRs. The psychological and environmental benefits of greening in urban environments are recognized, such as creating habitats for small species, reducing stress, and improving mood, among others. Some significant differences were seen in some socioeconomic aspects, such as age, gender and educational level. Women showed a tendency to find calm when in contact with plants, while the tendency for men is more neutral. Participants with a lower educational level, secondary school and a technical career, do not fully agree that nature positively affects their mood. In general, green walls were found to be preferred to green roofs; however, it is suggested to consider incorporating more colors, flowers and a greater variety of plants to improve the aesthetics of these structures.