Moya Vicuña, Susana
Thumbnail Image
Preferred name
Moya Vicuña, Susana
Main Affiliation
Quito
Email
susanamoya@uti.edu.ec
ORCID
Scopus Author ID
57466728100

Research Output
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Extensive Green Facades as an Alternative to the Lack of Urban Greenery

2025 , Moya Vicuña, Susana , Ortiz, Daniela

The accelerated process of urbanization has intensified the loss of natural green areas, directly affecting the quality of life in cities. Semi-natural infrastructures, such as green facades, do not replace natural ecosystems but can mitigate their impacts by providing ecosystem services. This study is based on the hypothesis that the implementation of self-built extensive green facades, using local substrates and a mixture of native and adapted species, constitutes an accessible alternative that urban residents can construct and maintain themselves. Within this framework, the research 2 question is posed: How does the combination of support system type and plant species influence the ecological performance of extensive green facades in Andean urban contexts? Which climatic and construction-related factors determine the economic viability and ease of maintenance and self-construction of extensive green facades? The article is structured in two phases: first, a theoretical review of recent literature on extensive green facades, and second, an experimental phase involving self-built modules implemented in the city of Quito. The results show that, at least under the described climatic conditions—characterized by high solar radiation, prolonged water deficit, and wind gusts reaching up to 4.2 m/s—the selected plant species (Common Ivy, Passiflora mixta, and Pyrostegia venusta) achieved similar coverage levels during the study period, ranging from 30% to 20% between months 3 and 7, with installation costs below 41 USD per square meter. These findings highlight the feasibility of affordable systems for urban greening and their potential role in promoting resilient and inclusive development, particularly in highly variable Andean climates. However, further research is needed to assess their long-term impact on urban biodiversity, as well as their sustained structural and ecological performance over time.

View
No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Sustainable Cities, Rescue of Original Construction Methods and Use of Technology. A literary Review

2022 , Moya Vicuña, Susana

The concept of sustainability and even more so applied to the city is quite broad, however in general we could say that they are those whose planning and growth considers current challenges, but also understands and recognizes those next to appear, such as the upsurge of climate change, the growth and migration of the human population in and towards cities, based on which it designs a model based on economic and social development, thinking about the importance of people and their needs. In recent years, several sustainable cities have appeared that are proposed as a model, many of these cities have not only looked to the future with new technologies that offer us efficient systems, but have also looked to the past and have found vernacular architecture of their environments, practical solutions of a passive nature, however, although these model cities can serve as an example and even as a hotbed for the development of techniques and technologies that lead us to a sustainable city, they are not models that can be adapted in an intact way in any territory, but must be reinterpreted to achieve optimal functioning among different conditions of another territory. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.

View
No Thumbnail Available
Publication

The extensive green facade as a means of production and recovery of biodiversity in urban highland areas of Ecuador

2023 , Moya Vicuña, Susana

Green infrastructures have great potential to promote a productive system, which allows the development of a circular metabolism, as well as the protection and conservation of a biodiversity part. The present observation-based study seeks to analyze the potential productive and biodiversity benefits of a "traditional" extensive green wall located in Conocoto parish in Quitós city, Ecuador. For this purpose, the characteristics of the environment, the plant, and the conditions of its development are described in detail. The results provide recommendations for the design, maintenance, and application of extensive green walls in neotropical mountain climatic conditions, through the use of endemic Andean plants of a productive type, in this case the Passiflora mollisima, also commonly called "Taxo". © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

View
No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Behavior of Endemic and Non-Endemic Species in Urban Green Infrastructures: Sustainable Strategies in Quito

2025 , Moya Vicuña, Susana

The ongoing changes in natural and urban ecosystems, driven by climate change, population growth, and other anthropogenic factors, necessitate the implementation of green infrastructure, such as green roofs and walls. The functional value of these systems is demonstrated through their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), which are directly related to the implementation and development of sustainable strategies in buildings and urban environments. By leveraging the ecosystem services they provide, green infrastructure contributes to life on land, enhancing biodiversity—especially for flora, fauna, and pollinators. Additionally, their potential for visual appeal and esthetic value, often emphasized during installation, can enrich the cultural and landscape value of urban spaces, ultimately promoting good health and well-being for urban residents. This study aims to incorporate native vegetation into the design of intensive (walls) and extensive (roofs) green infrastructure within a neotropical mountainous climate. To achieve this, an experimental module was developed, integrating native and non-native vegetation selected based on criteria such as relative growth rate (RGR), measured by species size in relation to geotextile mesh coverage and visual survival status. Additional criteria, including stress (SP), esthetic (AP), and coexistence (CP) metrics, inform design strategies aimed at enhancing biodiversity through the use of native vegetation, while maintaining the esthetic integrity of the design. While further evaluation of a broader range of vegetation is necessary to establish more comprehensive parameters, this study has yielded promising results. It demonstrates that the interaction between certain non-native species and native species can positively influence the survival of the latter, while also supporting the survival of native vegetation with significant esthetic value.

View
No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Vernacular Passive Strategies for Sustainable Houses in the Andean Ecuadorian Context

2022 , Ormaza M.V. , Moya Vicuña, Susana , Monar E.

Sustainability and thermal comfort in developing countries could be hard to achieve due to the high cost of standardized construction methods, such as reinforced concrete and steel framed structures. As a result, most dwellings ignore the basic principles of livability and sustainability promoting a high demand of external construction resources and using elevated quantities of energy during its operative life. The purpose of this paper is to analyze passive and vernacular strategies for typical active thermal comfort as alternatives for low rise housing in the Andean region of Ecuador by using rammed earth walls as thermal mass elements. This research aims to reach the minimum comfort levels stablished by INER and ASHRAE 90.1 envelope requirements for climate zone 4C (temperate continental). © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

View