Energy and Hydraulic Performance of a Vegetated Roof in Sub-Mediterranean Climate

Abstract

Widespread overbuilding, the prevalence of asphalt surfaces on green areas, and the use of building materials with low heat dissipation abilities are among the main causes of Urban Heat Islands. Within urban areas, evapotranspiration and shade from plants can significantly reduce the UHI phenomenon, help in stormwater management, and reduce building energy consumption. The goal of this work is to analyze the hydraulics and energy performances of an experimental extensive green roof at the University of Calabria (Italy) in Mediterranean area. This study confirmed that green roofs significantly mitigate storm water runoff generation in terms of runoff volume reduction and peak attenuation, and improve the thermal performance of buildings and the internal comfort of indoor spaces.

A review of nature-based solutions for urban water management in European circular cities: a critical assessment based on case studies and literature

“…The results of the project showed good hydraulic performance of the green roof concerning stormwater retention in Mediterranean weather conditions (Palermo et al 2019;Piro et al 2018). The hydraulic behaviour of the green roof, permeable pavement and stormwater filter were also analysed by means of a modelist approach (Brunetti et al 2016(Brunetti et al , 2017Garofalo et al 2016;Piro et al 2019).…”

Green Roof Design Techniques to Improve Water Use under Mediterranean Conditions

“…Regions with hot and dry summers might benefit from the use of green roofs concerning thermic control of buildings and cities [27], or other benefits, but a careful analysis of the costs is required, since the benefit implies using irrigation water. To help overcome this issue, innovative green roof design techniques coping with water limited environments can provide adequate sustainable solutions.…”

On the Energy Performance of an Innovative Green Roof in the Mediterranean Climate

“…Moreover, the high temperatures in cities during the hottest months can involve significant and negative effects on daily life [13]. It is therefore clear that UHI phenomenon and its countermeasures are interesting issues for the scientific community [14][15][16][17]. One of the most significant solutions for counteract UHIs is represented by green roofs.…”

“…The evapotranspiration effects allow for the external surface temperature reduction during the warmer months, with consequent advantages in terms of energy saving [10][11][12]. Moreover, green roofs can upgrade the management of rainwater, decreasing the volume of run-off and causing an attenuation of the peak to consequently mitigate the generation of rainwater run-off [14][15][16][17]. Further works underlined their sound insulation capacity compared to a traditional roof [13,19,20] and also their importance for safeguarding the aesthetics of areas and wildlife [23] with the aim of avoiding habitat loss in urban areas [24,25].…”