First Advisor

David Sailor

Date of Publication

1-1-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering

Department

Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Language

English

Subjects

Roofing -- Design and construction -- Environmental aspects, Green roofs (Gardening) -- Environmental aspects, Urban heat island -- Environmental aspects, Green roofs (Gardening)-- Design and construction

DOI

10.15760/etd.246

Physical Description

1 online resource (viii, 73 p.), maps (some col.)

Abstract

This study presents the results of a modeling effort to explore the role that sustainable roofing technologies play in impacting the rooftop energy balance, and the resultant net sensible heat flux into the urban atmosphere with a focus on the summertime urban heat island. The model has been validated using data from a field experiment. Roofing technologies explored include control dark membrane roof, a highly reflective (cool) roof, a vegetated green roof, and photovoltaic panels elevated above various base roofs. Energy balance models were developed, validated with experimental measurements, and then used to estimate sensible fluxes in cities located in six climate zones across the US. To evaluate the impact on urban air temperatures, a mesoscale meteorological model was used. Sensible flux profiles calculated using a surface energy balance were used as inputs to the mesoscale model. Results for a 2-day period in Portland, OR are analyzed. Average findings indicate that the black roof and black roof with PV have the highest peak daily sensible flux to the environment, ranging from 331 to 405 W/m2. The addition of PV panels to a black roof had a negligible effect on the peak flux, but decreased the total flux by an average of 11%. Replacing a black roof with a white or green roof resulted in a substantial decrease in the total sensible flux. Results indicate that if a black membrane roof is replaced by a PV covered white or a PV covered green roof the corresponding reduction in total sensible flux is on the order of 50%. Mesoscale modeling results indicate peak daytime temperature reduction of approximately 1°C for both white and green roofs. However, there is a nighttime penalty on the order of 0.75°C for the green roof case, which has been attributed to the additional thermal storage of a green roof. Findings also reveal that the addition of PV panels to a roof has a nighttime cooling effect. This is most pronounced on a white roof, with magnitudes of 1°C. The methodology developed for this analysis provides a foundation for evaluating the relative impacts of roof design choices on the urban climate and should prove useful in guiding urban heat island mitigation efforts.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Comments

Portland State University. Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/7014

Download

Share

COinS