Prospects of green roof technology for energy and thermal benefits in buildings: Case of Jordan

Water, Energy, and Rooftops: Integrating Green Roof Systems into Building Policies in the Arab Region

“…Therefore, green roof policies, approaches, and incentives must be integrated vertically and horizontally with related-sectors' policies and should be advocated at the local level to support sustainable urban development. (Kisner, 2008;Zeeuw, Veenhuizen, & Dubbeling, 2011) Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security, and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture -A supply of homegrown food, and especially fresh nutritious vegetables, makes a difference in the lives of the urban poor through improved nutrition (Kisner, 2008;Whitman, 2013) Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all stages -Contributes to the greening of cities, curbs air pollution, increases humidity, and lowers temperatures (Goussous, Siam, & Alzoubi, 2014;Lehmann, 2013;Specht et al, 2014;Zarandi et al, 2011) Goal 4: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls -Indirectly empowers women, the predominant urban producers, to gain access to income and control over household resources and decision-making (Kisner, 2008;Rashid et al, 2010) Goal 5: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all -Green roofs' growing media retain rainwater and, together with plants, return a portion of this water to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration (evapotranspiration) -Storm water that does leave the green roof is delayed and reduced in volume;…”

“…it is cleaner than runoff from a conventional roof -Retention and delay of runoff eases stress on storm water infrastructure and sewers (Fioretti et al, 2010;Köehler, 2005) Goal 6: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all -Reduces the heat influx through the roof; less energy for cooling or heating can lead to significant cost savings -In summer, a green roof protects the building from direct solar heat; however, in winter, it minimizes heat loss through added insulation on the roof (Fioretti et al, 2010;Goussous et al, 2014) Goal 6: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all -Reduces the heat influx through the roof; less energy for cooling or heating can lead to significant cost savings -In summer, a green roof protects the building from direct solar heat; however, in winter, it minimizes heat loss through added insulation on the roof (Fioretti et al, 2010;Goussous et al, 2014) Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation -Planting vegetation in cities helps to cancel the concrete jungle effect wherein temperatures rise, polluted air is not filtered, and rainwater is not absorbed into the ground (Zeeuw et al, 2011) Goal 11: Make cities and human settlement inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable -Transforms the endless concrete of cities into productive green spaces (Hui & SCM, 2011;Kingma, 2012;Zarandi et al, 2011). -More economical and efficient over the life span of the roof because of the energy saved and the longevity of roof membranes (Porsche & Köhler, 2003).…”

“…According to Oberndorfer et al (2007a), the components of green roofs can improve the performance of buildings on its local ecosystems and can reduce buildings' energy consumption (Sonne, 2006). A green roof not only adds esthetic value to the buildings, but also enhances the thermal performance of buildings and minimizes heat transfer, which eventually helps in controlling the indoor temperature (Goussous, Siam, & Alzoubi, 2015). Green roofs can also mitigate storm-water runoff from building surfaces by collecting and retaining precipitation, thereby reducing the volume of flow into storm-water infrastructure and urban waterways.…”

Energy and Economic Evaluation of Green Roofs for Residential Buildings in Hot-Humid Climates

“…Findings of research carried out in the warm and humid climate of Hong Kong show significant energy reduction for sedum rather than peanut applied as thermal insulation [38]. Another study conducted in Jordan to examine the effects of green roofs on the energy consumption of HVAC systems in buildings indicates a total Energy-saving of 17% [39]. Similarly, a comparative study between a green roof and a conventional roof system in an arid climate in Egypt has been conducted.…”

Impact of Green Roof and Orientation on the Energy Performance of Buildings: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia

“…From one of the studies made on a residential building in Cairo, it was found that the cost saving of the green roof as compared to the conventional roof is between 15 and 32% [20]. From another study, made in Jordan, it is concluded that 17% of the HVAC energy demand can be reduced by using the green roof [21]. In another research done in a Mediterranean climate, a 6-49% reduction in energy demand was noticed because of the green roof [22].…”