A green roof model for building energy simulation programs

D. J. Sailor

doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2008.02.001

A green roof model for building energy simulation programs

D. J. Sailor

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

538 Scopus citations

Abstract

A physically based model of the energy balance of a vegetated rooftop has been developed and integrated into the EnergyPlus building energy simulation program. This green roof module allows the energy modeler to explore green roof design options including growing media thermal properties and depth, and vegetation characteristics such as plant type, height and leaf area index. The model has been tested successfully using observations from a monitored green roof in Florida. A preliminary set of parametric tests has been conducted on prototypical 4000 m² office buildings in Chicago IL and Houston TX. These tests focus on evaluating the role of growing media depth, irrigation, and vegetation density (leaf area index) on both natural gas and electricity consumption. Building energy consumption was found to vary significantly in response to variations in these parameters. Further, this response depended significantly on building location (climate). Hence, it is evident that the green roof simulation tool presented here can serve a valuable role in informing green roof design decisions.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1466-1478
Number of pages	13
Journal	Energy and Buildings
Volume	40
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2008.02.001
State	Published - 2008
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Building energy
Ecoroof
Energy model
EnergyPlus
Green roof
Simulation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Civil and Structural Engineering
Building and Construction
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1016/j.enbuild.2008.02.001

Cite this

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title = "A green roof model for building energy simulation programs",

abstract = "A physically based model of the energy balance of a vegetated rooftop has been developed and integrated into the EnergyPlus building energy simulation program. This green roof module allows the energy modeler to explore green roof design options including growing media thermal properties and depth, and vegetation characteristics such as plant type, height and leaf area index. The model has been tested successfully using observations from a monitored green roof in Florida. A preliminary set of parametric tests has been conducted on prototypical 4000 m2 office buildings in Chicago IL and Houston TX. These tests focus on evaluating the role of growing media depth, irrigation, and vegetation density (leaf area index) on both natural gas and electricity consumption. Building energy consumption was found to vary significantly in response to variations in these parameters. Further, this response depended significantly on building location (climate). Hence, it is evident that the green roof simulation tool presented here can serve a valuable role in informing green roof design decisions.",

keywords = "Building energy, Ecoroof, Energy model, EnergyPlus, Green roof, Simulation",

author = "Sailor, {D. J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was initiated with funding from the US EPA under contract EP-D-06-054. Model refinements were made possible by ongoing support from the Ecoworks Foundation, the City of Portland, Office of Sustainable Development, and by Gerding Edlen LLC. The author gratefully acknowledges programming assistance from Mr. Toan Pham, and assistance with EnergyPlus from Dru Crawley and Linda Lawrie of the EnergyPlus development team. ",

year = "2008",

doi = "10.1016/j.enbuild.2008.02.001",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "40",

pages = "1466--1478",

journal = "Energy and Buildings",

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AU - Sailor, D. J.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was initiated with funding from the US EPA under contract EP-D-06-054. Model refinements were made possible by ongoing support from the Ecoworks Foundation, the City of Portland, Office of Sustainable Development, and by Gerding Edlen LLC. The author gratefully acknowledges programming assistance from Mr. Toan Pham, and assistance with EnergyPlus from Dru Crawley and Linda Lawrie of the EnergyPlus development team.

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - A physically based model of the energy balance of a vegetated rooftop has been developed and integrated into the EnergyPlus building energy simulation program. This green roof module allows the energy modeler to explore green roof design options including growing media thermal properties and depth, and vegetation characteristics such as plant type, height and leaf area index. The model has been tested successfully using observations from a monitored green roof in Florida. A preliminary set of parametric tests has been conducted on prototypical 4000 m2 office buildings in Chicago IL and Houston TX. These tests focus on evaluating the role of growing media depth, irrigation, and vegetation density (leaf area index) on both natural gas and electricity consumption. Building energy consumption was found to vary significantly in response to variations in these parameters. Further, this response depended significantly on building location (climate). Hence, it is evident that the green roof simulation tool presented here can serve a valuable role in informing green roof design decisions.

AB - A physically based model of the energy balance of a vegetated rooftop has been developed and integrated into the EnergyPlus building energy simulation program. This green roof module allows the energy modeler to explore green roof design options including growing media thermal properties and depth, and vegetation characteristics such as plant type, height and leaf area index. The model has been tested successfully using observations from a monitored green roof in Florida. A preliminary set of parametric tests has been conducted on prototypical 4000 m2 office buildings in Chicago IL and Houston TX. These tests focus on evaluating the role of growing media depth, irrigation, and vegetation density (leaf area index) on both natural gas and electricity consumption. Building energy consumption was found to vary significantly in response to variations in these parameters. Further, this response depended significantly on building location (climate). Hence, it is evident that the green roof simulation tool presented here can serve a valuable role in informing green roof design decisions.

KW - Building energy

KW - Ecoroof

KW - Energy model

KW - EnergyPlus

KW - Green roof

KW - Simulation

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JO - Energy and Buildings

JF - Energy and Buildings

IS - 8

ER -

A green roof model for building energy simulation programs

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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