Revealing the role of green roof substrate: limitations of simulated substrate temperatures for summer and winter day and night thermal performance in Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

Green roofs, integrated into conventional buildings, offer valuable thermal benefits, with extensive research and validated models focused on specific climates and summer conditions. However, their applicability requires further refinement, as conflicting year-round performance results have been observed. This study investigates the thermal performance of unvegetated green roofs with various depths in Melbourne, Australia, over almost a year. Utilizing Sailor's green roof model, the research reveals reasonable accuracy for winter and deeper roofs, but notable discrepancies for 100 mm thick green roofs during the day. Additionally, the study provides experimental data on non-vegetated green r..