Do green roofs cool the air?

Solcerová, Anna; Ven, F.H.M. Van de; Wang, Mengyu; Rijsdijk, Michiel; Giesen, Nick van de

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2016.10.021

Cited by 95 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…First of all, both green and white roofs could help mitigate the daytime UHI by reducing sensible heat fluxes in the urban area. Although green roofs (under current model settings with regular irrigation) are found to be slightly more effective than white roofs in reducing an additional sensible heat flux of 30 W/m 2 , the cooling effectiveness of green roofs is largely influenced by soil moisture and requires large amounts of water to maintain (Coutts et al, ; Solcerova et al, ). A rough estimate of annual water demand for irrigation in a total green roof scenario would be about 3.62 × 10 8 m 3 , which are about 4 times more than the current condition without green roof (0.77 × 10 8 m 3 ) (Yang & Wang, ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, we will evaluate two particular urban heat mitigation strategies, that is, green (vegetated) and white (reflective or “cool”) roofs. Both green and white roofs can alter the urban surface energy balance by repartitioning the available energy (Akbari et al, ; Coutts et al, ; Georgescu, ; Solcerova et al, ; Takebayashi & Moriyama, ). In addition, green roofs in arid or semiarid environments also modify urban hydrological processes via irrigation and water retention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Regional Impact of Urban Heat Mitigation Strategies on Planetary Boundary Layer Dynamics Over a Semiarid City

Jooho

Wang

2018

JGR Atmospheres

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The rapid urbanization and associated landscape changes strongly modulate heat and moisture transfer processes on the urban surface as well as in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) via urban landatmosphere interactions. In this study, we employed the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with realistic urban dynamics to assess the effects of two urban landscaping strategies for urban heat mitigation (viz., green roofs and white roofs) on the PBL dynamics for hot summer periods over a semiarid city, Phoenix of Arizona. Our results show that the effects of green roofs and white roofs on PBL dynamics are markedly different at daytime and nighttime. At daytime, both roofing systems reduce the sensible heat flux significantly by~150 W/m 2 , lower the PBL height by~700 m, and decrease the maximum convective available potential energy (CAPE) by~40 J/kg over the built terrain. At nighttime, both sensible and latent heat fluxes increase with green roofs by~4 and~6 W/m 2 , respectively. In contrast, with white roofs, a marginal reduction of sensible heat flux by~4 W/m 2 was observed, owing to the remnant effect of daytime cooling. In addition, both roofing systems reduce the CAPE over the urban core but increase the CAPE over the rural surrounding, implying that the use of green or white roofs may potentially enhance the probability of precipitation toward the outskirt of the city. 2011; Yang et al., 2016). These impact of modified urban surface hydrothermal processes, in turn, will be SONG ET AL. 6410

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Regional Impact of Urban Heat Mitigation Strategies on Planetary Boundary Layer Dynamics Over a Semiarid City

Jooho

Wang

2018

JGR Atmospheres

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“…Therefore, the UHI phenomenon and its countermeasures are topics of interest in the scientific literature. Several works aimed at assessing UHI intensity suggest strategies to reduce its impacts, such as building design approaches [8][9][10]. Several mitigation measures were recommended in order to mitigate UHI impacts on environmental, energy, economic and social aspects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Evaluation and Numerical Simulation of the Thermal Performance of a Green Roof

et al. 2020

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In the building sector, both passive and active systems are essential for achieving a high-energy performance. Considering passive solutions, green roofs represent a sustainable answer, allowing buildings to reach energy savings, and also reducing the collateral effect of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon. In this study, a roof-lawn system was investigated by means of an extended measurement campaign, monitoring the heat transfer across the roof. Heat-flow meters and air- and surface-temperature probes were applied in a real building, in order to compare the performance of the roof-lawn system with a conventional roof. This experimental approach was followed to quantify the different thermal behaviors of the building components. Moreover, an equivalent thermal model of the roof-lawn system was studied, in order to obtain the equivalent thermal properties of the roof, useful for setting building models for yearly energy simulations. The roof-lawn system revealed its advantages, showing a higher thermal inertia with no overheating in summertime and a lower thermal transmittance with energy savings in wintertime, and, consequently, better indoor conditions for the occupants of the building.

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“…Building energy simulations show a reduction of average indoor temperature ranging from 0.2 to 2.5 • C, depending on the roof assembly and outdoor temperature. Solcerova et al [37] investigated whether green roofs will cool the air surrounding the building. While the underlying building is cooled in daytime, the increased albedo of the green roof compared to a black roof is actually found to heat up the air.…”

Section: Energymentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance of Blue-Green Roofs in Cold Climates: A Scoping Review

et al. 2018

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Green and blue-green roofs are emerging as an increasingly popular feature of rooftops, particularly in urban areas. Particular problematic conditions render their usage complex in the Nordic countries. In order to ensure that green roofs are built durable and with the service life expected of them, it is important to know all the relevant factors surrounding their construction and operation. A scoping study was conducted in order to gain an overview on green roof research and available scientific literature. One hundred articles of particular interest for Nordic climates were retrieved and their findings summarized. It is found that the vast majority of green roof research has been conducted on a theoretical basis, or with practical measurements on green roof test beds or isolated components. There is scarcely any literature on the operation of full-scale, building-implemented green roofs, and no articles were found on the building technical performance of aged green roofs. These knowledge gaps indicate a major risk factor in green roof operation, as their performance and integrity over time has not been documented. This despite the fact that green roofs have been implemented and in operation worldwide for decades.

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Do green roofs cool the air?

Cited by 95 publications

References 34 publications

The Regional Impact of Urban Heat Mitigation Strategies on Planetary Boundary Layer Dynamics Over a Semiarid City

The Regional Impact of Urban Heat Mitigation Strategies on Planetary Boundary Layer Dynamics Over a Semiarid City

Experimental Evaluation and Numerical Simulation of the Thermal Performance of a Green Roof

Performance of Blue-Green Roofs in Cold Climates: A Scoping Review

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