Thermal Performance of Green Roofs in Dry Climate Regions of Mexico through Simulation with Energyplus and Openstudio Tools

Abstract

Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, January 2022 to May 2023. Green roofs are often used as an aesthetic resource by architecture, since they help to generate artificial green areas in densely populated urban areas, thanks to the fact that they occupy small spaces. This type of system has the quality that it also serves as a passive thermal insulation system. The majority of built green roofs are based on an extensive system, which is characterized by its low maintenance demand and low cost, as it has a shallow substrate and grass-based vegetation. However, in order to exploit the full potential of this system, the optimal parameters for each region must be studied, since the climatological characteristics of the place will directly affect its operation. Through the applied methodology, a base model configured in relation to a system previously established in the Autonomous University of Queretaro (UAQ) was obtained. With the model generated, the relationship between the thickness of the substrate and the decrease in internal temperature was studied, and differences of 5°C were obtained with respect to the external temperature.