Experimental measurements and numerical modelling of a green roof

Green roof utilisation has been known since ancient times both in hot and cold climates. Nowadays, it has been reconsidered at issue of energy saving and pollution reduction. In this paper, some measurement sessions on a green roof installed by the Vicenza Hospital are described. A data logging system with temperature, humidity, rainfall, radiation, etc. sensors surveyed both the parameters related to the green roof and to the rooms underneath. The aim is to evaluate the passive cooling, stressing the evapotranspiration role in summer time. Furthermore, the enhanced insulating properties have been tested during winter time. A predictive numerical model has been developed in a building simulation software (TRNSYS) to calculate thermal and energy performances of a building with a green roof, varying the meteorological dataset for a specific geographic zone.