Tokyo Develops Guidelines, Installs Models, to Promote 'Green' Walls

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has drawn up guidelines on exterior wall "greening" and installed models based on them at some of its public facilities, it was announced in April 2006.

The Tokyo government has been taking various steps against the urban heat island effect, including projects to improve greenery in the city. One of them is wall "greening," the growing of vegetation on building exteriors to block sunlight and lower wall temperatures through the transpiration effect of plants. Despite a surge in attention about wall greening, it has been attempted in only a few cases, and there is a general lack of information available about how to do it. To promote the idea of wall greening, the metropolitan government decided to develop these guidelines and install display models.

The guidelines provide information in laymen's terms, including the characteristics of greening type and plant species that are suitable for different locations, so that citizens and businesses can easily try wall greening.

The models were installed at two government offices and one school, at a cost of between 30,000 and 100,000 yen (about U.S.$256 to $855) per square meter. The annual maintenance costs are around 100,000 to 200,000 yen (about U.S.$855 to $1,710) per site. The text of the guidelines can be downloaded (in Japanese) from the website of the Environment Bureau of Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/TOPICS/2006/ftg2f100.htm
http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/index.htm

Posted: 2006/07/18 10:19:10 AM
Japanese version