Green roof and its thermal performance in residences in semi-arid regions

Keywords: Vegetation cover, Heat islands, Sustainability, Thermal variation

Abstract

The green roof is used as an alternative for residential thermal cooling, as it aids in heat transfer and provides environmental and economic benefits. Thus, it aimed to evaluate whether the presence of the green roof alters the thermal residential conditions in a semiarid region. The green roof was conducted in a residential area, where two sensors (thermohygrometer) were installed indoors and outdoors. An area of 8.4 m2 was determined for the green roof, where four layers (wood plywood, carpet, cardboard, and substrate) were installed, and then the transplanting of Selaginella convoluta (Selaginellaceae) was carried out. The treatments were carried out in two different situations, analyzing the internal and external environment, with and without the use of a green roof (EXTER_S, EXTER_C, INTER_S and INTER_C). Temperature and relative humidity data were collected at 9:15 am and 9 pm for eight days and submitted to Tukey's test (p<0.05). The average temperature at 9 am was 23.32 ºC and at 3 pm, 32.8 ºC and 31.75 ºC on average for EXTER_S and INTER_S, respectively. There was a reduction in internal and external temperature, 1.53 °C and 1.7 °C, respectively, at 9 am, followed by 2.4 °C and 4.58 °C, at 3 pm and 3.65 °C and 4.37 °C at 9 pm in the studied environments. The RH% increased in the evaluated times, having a considerable increase at 9 pm (22.32%) in the EXTER_C environment. The green roof helps to reduce temperature and increase residential RH, making it a sustainable alternative for thermal cooling in semi-arid regions.

Author Biographies

Josias Jordão Andrade Alves, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE
Discente do Programa de Pós-graduação em Produção Vegetal (PGPV) da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Serra Talhada (PE), Brasil.
Cinara Wanderléa Félix Bezerra, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE
Discente do Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Entomologia (PPGEnto) da Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba (PR), Brasil.
Renato Veríssimo da Silva Filho, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE
Discente do Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências do Solo (PPGCS) da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife (PE), Brasil.
José Victor da Silva Souza, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE
Engenheiro Agrônomo formado pela Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada (UAST), Serra Talhada (PE), Brasil.
José Allysson Cordeiro, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE
Engenheiro Agrônomo formado pela Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada (UAST), Serra Talhada (PE), Brasil.
Luzia Ferreira da Silva, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE
Professora Associada da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada (UAST), Serra Talhada (PE), Brasil.

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Published
2021-07-31
Section
Environment