THEME: Influence of Vegetal Roofs on Thermal Comfort in Housing in Sahel Region

Abstract

The concern for improving comfort in housing has led man to consider the temperature, which primarily influences thermal comfort inside the building. In a building, all walls are capable of receiving and transferring heat, but the roof contributes significantly to heat exchanges more than the other walls. In this article, we focused on the effect of a green roof on thermal comfort in housing. We conducted a simulation study of the temperatures of a habitat with a green roof, a slab, and one with a metal roof using the software COMSOL 5.3. The results of this study showed an interior temperature of around 27°C for the green roof. This temperature is in line with that considered for thermal comfort in hot and dry climates. The indoor temperature of the house with a concrete roof is 34°C while that of the house with a metal roof is 35°C. The temperature difference from the thermal comfort level was +7°C for the concrete roof and +8°C for the metal roof. The simulation results showed that the temperature inside the house with a green roof is lower compared to that obtained from houses with other types of roofs. The green roof better ensures good thermal comfort for the occupant.