A Review on The Impacts of Plants Towards Heritage Building

Abstract

Plants have always been as one of the important aspects in human life. Their existence creates ecological and environmental system which beneficial to the human beings. For urban area that highly occupied by concrete buildings, plants could help in filtering dust, reducing noise pollutions, and controlling surrounding temperature. However, in urban area with heritage buildings, plants have been identified to be one of the contributors towards some damages. Such damages would cause these heritage buildings to be easily ruined and not safe to live in not to mention with its age dated to hundreds of years ago. Hence, the purpose of this research is to identify the effects impacted by plants to the heritage buildings. This research is in a qualitative form with an observation and document review method. Based on the research outcomes, the plants do affect the components of the buildings such as its humidity, salt attack and structure damage through roots invasion and attack by pests. Thus, a very careful and detail procedure must be implemented in selecting types of plants so they can be utilizing in a positive way towards the landscape and environment of the heritage buildings. It is not just preventing the old buildings from potential damages and its conservation, but also could contribute to the aesthetic value as well as bring back some of its nostalgia.