Research on the Effect of a Planting Roof on the Thermal Load of a Business Building

Abstract

A pair of comparative testing rooms (one with an ordinary roof and the other with a planting roof) was established in our laboratory, and in- situ measurement (in summer) data have been collected and treated. The indoor thermal environment was analyzed and the thermal load within each room was calculated Comparative analysis of thermal loads of these two rooms was done. Reduction of thermal load by the planting roof is clearly shown from our research work. A theoretical analysis of the effect of the planting roof on the room's thermal load was done, and theoretical relations between outdoor air temperature and indoor thermal load within certain region were established. The feasibility analysis of the application of our research work to the business building was also completed. The summer cooling load reduction characteristics, the energy saving characteristics on air conditioning system, the yearly electricity consumption reduction, the yearly consumption amount reduction of “Primary Energy”, the discharge amount reduction of sensible heat to outdoor atmosphere in summer, and the yearly discharge amount reduction of greenhouse gases to the outdoor atmosphere from air conditioning system due to the planting roof are also predicted. A corresponding economic analysis is also presented in this paper. The results show the advantages of the planting roof, and also promote the widespread application of the planting roof to business buildings.