IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v313y2024ics0360544224036089.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The observed cooling potential of rooftop strategies during heatwaves in a subtropical city

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Bingyin
  • Zhu, Zhiquan
  • Wang, Weiwen
  • Pan, Lan
  • Chang, Ming
  • Jin, Xueli
  • Wang, Xuemei

Abstract

Rooftop Mitigation Strategies (RMSs) have garnered global recognition as effective measures for mitigating urban thermal environments. However, the cooling effectiveness of Green Roof (GR) and Cool Roof (CR) remains a subject of ongoing debate, especially when considered within diverse climatic contexts. This study conducted RMSs observation experiments within the subtropical urban landscape of Guangzhou, China, to assess the cooling potential of these strategies during both normal weather conditions and heatwaves. Our experiments identified a critical temperature threshold that influences the cooling potential of GR, a phenomenon rooted in vegetation transpiration. Below 33 °C, transpiration gradually intensifies, resulting in a noticeable cooling effect. However, as temperatures exceed this threshold, transpiration diminishes. Coupled with the aerodynamic drag imposed by vegetation leaves on wind flow, this complex dynamic leads to a temperature increase at heights ranging from 0.3 m to 0.6 m above the roof. Given the subtropical climate's characteristics of high temperatures and humidity, prudent consideration is warranted when selecting appropriate mitigation strategies. In this context, our observations suggest that CR may be a more cost-effective and potentially more efficacious choice due to their lower costs and substantial cooling potential. Our research provides a significant contribution to the reevaluation of RMSs' cooling potential and its role in reducing urban energy consumption and lowering building carbon emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Bingyin & Zhu, Zhiquan & Wang, Weiwen & Pan, Lan & Chang, Ming & Jin, Xueli & Wang, Xuemei, 2024. "The observed cooling potential of rooftop strategies during heatwaves in a subtropical city," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:313:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224036089
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.133830
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544224036089
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2024.133830?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. He, Yang & Yu, Hang & Ozaki, Akihito & Dong, Nannan & Zheng, Shiling, 2017. "Influence of plant and soil layer on energy balance and thermal performance of green roof system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 1285-1299.
    2. Harini Nagendra & Xuemei Bai & Eduardo S. Brondizio & Shuaib Lwasa, 2018. "The urban south and the predicament of global sustainability," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(7), pages 341-349, July.
    3. Shafique, Muhammad & Kim, Reeho & Rafiq, Muhammad, 2018. "Green roof benefits, opportunities and challenges – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 757-773.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Veerkamp, Clara J. & Schipper, Aafke M. & Hedlund, Katarina & Lazarova, Tanya & Nordin, Amanda & Hanson, Helena I., 2021. "A review of studies assessing ecosystem services provided by urban green and blue infrastructure," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    2. Dimitris Perivoliotis & Iasonas Arvanitis & Anna Tzavali & Vassilios Papakostas & Sophia Kappou & George Andreakos & Angeliki Fotiadi & John A. Paravantis & Manolis Souliotis & Giouli Mihalakakou, 2023. "Sustainable Urban Environment through Green Roofs: A Literature Review with Case Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-25, November.
    3. Rimjhim M. Aggarwal & LaDawn Haglund, 2019. "Advancing Water Sustainability in Megacities: Comparative Study of São Paulo and Delhi Using a Social-Ecological System Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-30, September.
    4. Mihalakakou, Giouli & Souliotis, Manolis & Papadaki, Maria & Menounou, Penelope & Dimopoulos, Panayotis & Kolokotsa, Dionysia & Paravantis, John A. & Tsangrassoulis, Aris & Panaras, Giorgos & Giannako, 2023. "Green roofs as a nature-based solution for improving urban sustainability: Progress and perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    5. Bakhshoodeh, Reza & Ocampo, Carlos & Oldham, Carolyn, 2022. "Thermal performance of green façades: Review and analysis of published data," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    6. Seth Schindler & Jonathan Silver, 2019. "Florida in the Global South: How Eurocentrism Obscures Global Urban Challenges—and What We Can Do about It," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 794-805, July.
    7. Karen T. Lourdes & Chris N. Gibbins & Perrine Hamel & Ruzana Sanusi & Badrul Azhar & Alex M. Lechner, 2021. "A Review of Urban Ecosystem Services Research in Southeast Asia," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, January.
    8. Attila Buzási & Bettina Szimonetta Jäger, 2021. "Exploratory Analysis of Urban Sustainability by Applying a Strategy-Based Tailor-Made Weighting Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-18, June.
    9. Li, Yantong & Zhai, Wei & Yang, Zheng & Tang, Junqing & Li, Haiyun & Huang, Huanchun, 2024. "A review of nature-based solutions to environmental hazards through the lens of environmental justice," SocArXiv uqfsx_v1, Center for Open Science.
    10. Michele Acuto & Benjamin Leffel, 2021. "Understanding the global ecosystem of city networks," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(9), pages 1758-1774, July.
    11. Stålhammar, Sanna, 2021. "Polarised views of urban biodiversity and the role of socio-cultural valuation: Lessons from Cape Town," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    12. Noemi Caltabellotta & Felicia Cavaleri & Carlo Greco & Kestutis Navickas & Carlo Scibetta & Laura Giammanco, 2019. "Integration of green roofs&walls in urban areas," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(2 Suppl.), pages 61-78.
    13. Manso, Maria & Teotónio, Inês & Silva, Cristina Matos & Cruz, Carlos Oliveira, 2021. "Green roof and green wall benefits and costs: A review of the quantitative evidence," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    14. Yue Dou & Guolin Yao & Anna Herzberger & Ramon Felipe Bicudo da Silva & Qian Song & Ciara Hovis & Mateus Batistella & Emilio Moran & Wenbin Wu & Jianguo Liu, 2020. "Land-Use Changes in Distant Places: Implementation of a Telecoupled Agent-Based Model," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 23(1), pages 1-11.
    15. Edoardo De Cristo & Luca Evangelisti & Leone Barbaro & Roberto De Lieto Vollaro & Francesco Asdrubali, 2025. "A Systematic Review of Green Roofs’ Thermal and Energy Performance in the Mediterranean Region," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-38, May.
    16. Alena Vargova & Sally Köhler & Sarina Hötzel & Bastian Schröter & Zuzana Vranayova & Daniela Kaposztasova, 2023. "Transformation of Urban Spaces: The Impact of Green Roofs in Košice, Slovakia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    17. Liberalesso, Tiago & Oliveira Cruz, Carlos & Matos Silva, Cristina & Manso, Maria, 2020. "Green infrastructure and public policies: An international review of green roofs and green walls incentives," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    18. Aikaterini N. Martini & Maria Papafotiou, 2025. "Comparative Evaluation of Crithmum maritimum and Origanum dictamnus Cultivation on an Extensive Urban Green Roof," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-30, January.
    19. Fernando Alonso-Marroquin & Ghulam Qadir, 2023. "Synergy between Photovoltaic Panels and Green Roofs," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-17, July.
    20. Afam I. O. Jideani & Awelani P. Mutshinyani & Ntsako P. Maluleke & Zwivhuya P. Mafukata & Mkateko V. Sithole & Mashudu U. Lidovho & Edwin K. Ramatsetse & Monica M. Matshisevhe, 2021. "Impact of Industrial Revolutions on Food Machinery - An Overview," Journal of Food Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(5), pages 1-42, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:313:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224036089. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.