A Systematic Review of the Vertical Green System for Balancing Ecology and Urbanity

Abstract

Skyrise greenery, including green roofs and vertical gardens, has emerged as an indispensable tool for sustainable urban planning with multiple ecological and economic benefits. A bibliometric analysis was used to provide a systematic review of the functions associated with skyrise greenery in urban landscapes. Key research tools, including the “Bibliometrix” R package and “CiteSpace” 6.2 R4, highlight the depth and breadth of the literature covering skyrise greenery. In 2000–2022, a total of 1474 original journal articles were retrieved. Over this period, there was an exponential increase in the number of publications, reflecting both enhanced knowledge and increasing concerns regarding climate change, the urban heat island, and urbanization. Of the total, ~58% of the articles originated from China, followed by the USA, Italy, Australia, and Canada. The research themes, such as urban heat islands, carbon sequestration, hydrology, and air quality, have been identified as the frontier in this fields. Furthermore, researchers from developed countries contributed the most publications to this domain, while developing countries, such as China, play an increasing role in the design and performance evaluation of vertical greenery. Key benefits identified in vertical green systems (e.g., green roofs and walls) include thermal regulation, sustainable water management, air-quality improvement, noise reduction, and biodiversity enhancement. In addition, several potential future research prospectives are highlighted. This review provides a comprehensive insight into exploring the pivotal role of skyrise greenery in shaping sustainable, resilient urban futures, coupled with sustainable urban planning.