Reduction of PM 2.5 and Improvement of Thermal Comfort in Naturally Ventilated Area of a Building by Using an Active Green Wall System

Buildings are places where humans live and perform various activities. Humans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, indoor air quality is important. Particulate matter that has a diameter of less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and thermal comfort are indicators for indoor air quality. This research aims to study the effect of an active green wall (AGW) system on PM 2.5 particles and thermal comfort in a naturally ventilated area such as a building corridor. Three ornamental species put on green wall panels were: Episcia cupreata (Hook.), Ficus lyrata Warb, and Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott. The experiment set in the corridor areas of a university building involved no green wall (NGW), active green wall (AGW), and passive green wall (PGW). The following variables were collected during all experiments. PM2.5 concentrations, temperature, relative humidity, and energy usage. The experimental results showed that AGW panels are able to reduce PM2.5 and can improve thermal comfort. AGW has the ability to reduce PM2.5 by 37% on average within 24 h and can improve thermal comfort significantly in corridor areas which are naturally ventilated areas in buildings.