SHANGHAI, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Shanghai plans to grow ivy and other creeping plants on the exterior walls of more than 1,000 buildings to cool down temperatures this summer, Shanghai Daily reports on Thursday.

    Plants covering the exterior walls of buildings will reduce indoor temperatures by blocking direct sunshine, the paper quotes experts as saying.

    The purpose of the project lies in two aspects: to increase thecity's green landscaping and to save energy, said Ma Xingfa, head of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission's social development department.

    The commission has set aside more than 100,000 yuan (12,346 U.S. dollars) for a study of creeper plants, which is being conducted by the Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology.

    Private gardening companies will be hired to plant and maintain the foliage.

    According to Chen Jinxin, a researcher at the institute, the plants should be able to reduce indoor temperatures by 2 degrees Celsius in buildings they cover, which should greatly reduce power consumption during the hottest period of the day. The plants can also help remove dust from the air and improve air quality.

    Currently, Chen and his companions are doing feasibility studies on buildings that are up to 12 stories tall.

    Normally, creepers can reach a height of 15 meters, equivalent to a five-to seven-story building.   Enditem