Using green roofs to mitigate the effects of solar energy on an unconditioned building in the southern United States

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is a phenonmenon that results in cities being warmer that the surrounding rural areas, due to a large amount of impervious surfaces. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of green roofs to mitigate the effects of solar energy on a building in the southern United States. In order to test the green roofs, temperatures were monitored inside and on top of unconditioned model buildings with green and traditional roofs. Over the course of the study, the data collected showed that green roofs provided a significant benefit for the buildings by reducing daily high temperatures during summer and daily low temperatures during winter, while also reducing temperature fluctuation. The findings of this study suggest that a green roof will reduce indoor temperature and rooftop temperatures, while providing several other benefits for city inhabitants such as reduced air temperatures.