An Examination of ABSTRACT the Effect of Building Compactness and Green Roofs on Indoor Temperature through the Use of Physical Models

Green roofs provide energy and cost savings during summer by insulating buildings and therefore keeping them cooler . Most prior studies have used only roof area to calculate the energy savings of green roofs . T his study observed four physical models for 54 days to ascertain how building geometry and compactness impact indoor temperature on buildings where a green roof has been installed . Indoor temperature was decreased due to green roof implementation by 8 .1°C on a less compact building compared to 4 .6°C on a more compact building . These results are more apparent on warm days . Less compact buildings have a larger relative roof size compared to the surface area of the building and thus, the impact of a green roof is more pronounced on less compact buildings . T he results suggest that building compactness can be a criterion to determine the buildings that will benefit the most from installing a green roof