Global urbanization is advancing, and with it, the densification of cities. Due to increased sealing of open spaces and the re-densification of existing urban settings, green spaces in the city are becoming scarcer. At the same time, greening within the urban fabric is known for its positive effects on the environment and decisively counteracts the urban heat effect. This study deals with the benefits of green façades for the environment as a cooling measure. Two façade greening systems, one trough and one cassette system, consisting of curtain wall elements with a basic metal structure, installed at a south-facing outdoor wall of a school building in Vienna, Austria, were taken under metrological examination. In order to evaluate the cooling effect caused by evapotranspiration, the amount of water evaporated was calculated using the difference of inflow and outflow. Furthermore, the surface temperatures of the greened and non-greened walls were measured to display the influence of the interaction of shading and evapotranspiration on the surrounding microclimate. The investigated vertical greening system with an area of 58 m² has an average evaporation capacity of 101.38 L per day in the summer. The maximum surface temperature difference was measured to be 11.6 °C.

The demand for renewable resources in building construction is increasing, and wheat straw is an excellent option due to its superior environmental performance compared to traditional insulation materials. However, the hygrothermal properties of chopped wheat straw insulation have remained largely unexplored. At the moment, blown-in straw is only blown in vertically, although horizontal blowing would be more efficient depending on the situation. This study investigates the effect of different blowing techniques on the thermal properties of chopped wheat straw insulation, focusing on the difference between vertical and horizontal blowing techniques. In-situ-measured thermal conductivities were compared with design values used in energy balances. In addition, the long-term hygrothermal behavior of chopped wheat straw insulation treated with flame retardants was investigated. The methodology included heat flow plate measurements, needle probe measurements and laboratory measurements using the hot plate method. The results show that there is no significant difference in thermal performance between the blowing techniques. The measured thermal conductivities were lower than expected, challenging the current general normative moisture surcharge on the thermal conductivity of natural fiber insulation. The addition of the flame retardant had no noticeable effect on the hygrothermal properties of the chopped straw. Chopped wheat straw can be regarded as a highly ecological insulation material with great potential for the future.