building-retrofit
Building-retrofit refers to upgrading existing structures with green infrastructure, such as living walls, rooftop gardens, and vertical growing systems, to improve energy efficiency and environmental performance. For plant science, this field explores how species can be selected and cultivated to thrive in constrained urban environments, contributing to improved air quality, temperature regulation, and biodiversity in built spaces. Research in this area informs which plant traits, such as drought tolerance and low-light adaptation, make species suitable for integration into architectural systems.
open_in_new WikipediaOpenAlex · 2026-08-26
Researchers modeled how building facades embedded with living biological systems could help older buildings in Mediterranean and Balkan cities cope with heat and changing climate. The study uses computer simulation rather than field trials to test whether these bio-integrated designs can meaningfully reduce indoor temperatures and energy loads during retrofits.
Bio-integrated facades are proposed as a retrofit strategy for existing buildings in Mediterranean and Balkan urban climates rather than new construction only
The approach is theoretical and simulation-based, meaning outcomes reflect modeled performance under controlled conditions rather than measured field data
The research targets cities in two distinct but climatically related regions, suggesting the facade designs are intended to generalize across a range of summer-dry and transitional climates