Green Roofs: Cool, Absorbent and Variable

A study sponsored by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin and published in the journal Urban Ecosystems found that green roofs could cut air conditioning bills by up to 21% compared to traditional blacktop roofs. On a 91-degree day a blacktopped box without air conditioning reached 129 degrees Fahrenheit inside. Green roof replicas produced interior temperatures of just 97 to 100 degrees.

“That’s a huge difference,” said Dr. Mark Simmons in the announcement of the study. Simmons, the lead investigator, noted that the lower surface temperatures can also double the life of roofing materials. Of the 24 roofs tested, the greatest variation was in rainfall captured, ranging from almost half of a two inch downpour to just eight percent. The aim of the research is to help manufacturers improve their designs.

Read the rest of November's In Motion articles in the digital edition of CitiesGoGreen.

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