ABSTRACT

In hot dry climates, it is estimated that almost half the urban peak load of energy
consumption is used to satisfy air-conditioning cooling demands in summer time. Passive
cool roof as a means of reducing energy cooling loads for satisfying human comfort
requirements in a hot climate. It is recommended that the selected cool roof solution be
combined with natural ventilation to increase the indoor thermal comfort, and with passive
heating strategies to compensate the increase in heating hours. The application is intended
for low cost residential buildings in a hot dry climate.
A roof can bring lot of heat into buildings during summers especially when there is high
amount of solar radiation. A roof that decreases heat ingress into the buildings by reflecting
and emitting the sun’s heat back into the sky is said to be a cool roof. Solar reflectivity (SR)
and infrared emissivity (IE) are two main properties of the roof surface which determine the
performance of the cool roof. Some commonly available cool roofing materials in India are:
white cement, white elastomeric coating, reinforced aluminium foil, white ceramic tiles, etc.
All these materials have different SR and IE values and their performance would degrade
with aging. India being a country with hot tropical climate, in most of its states there exist a
yearlong cooling requirement, and hence cool roof promises to be a worthy technology in
decreasing the cooling energy consumption. There are several direct and indirect benefits
of cool roof.

A roof with an ability to reflect and emit the sun’s heat back to the sky instead of transferring
it to the buildings is said to be a cool roof. It has high solar reflectance and thermal emittance
values. Cool roofs are one of the important energy conservation measures in buildings in
countries like India.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 1

 TABLE OF CONTENT

Certificate

Declaration

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Chapter 1 – Introduction ……………………………………………………………..

1.1) Aim
1.2) Objective
1.3) Limitation
1.4) Methodology
1.5) Energy crisis in India
1.6) Need of cool roof
1.7) Historical relevance of Cool Roof in India
1.8) Current relevance of Cool Roof in India

Chapter 2 – Cool Roof Design……………………………………………................

2.1) Climatic Zone Analysis

2.2) What is Cool Roof
2.3) The Concept of the Cool Roof
2.4) Structure, Composition and Material performance of the Cool Roof
2.5) Energy Efficient Roofs
2.6) Codes, Voluntary & Mandatory programs related to cool roof

Chapter 3 - Cool Roof Materials and Technologies……………………………...

3.1) Introduction
3.2) Cool Roof Products
3.3) Cool Roof Materials
3.4) Types of Cool Roofs
3.5) Benefits of Cool Roofs
3.6) Construction Problems of Roofs

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Chapter 4 – Cool Roof Design in Rajasthan, India……………………………….

4.1) Vernacular Cool Roof Design

4.2) Modular Cool Roof Design

Chapter 5 - Case Studies……………………………………………………………...

5.1) (Case study-I) Central University, Rajasthan

5.2) (Case study-II) NHPC, Faridabad
5.3) (Case study-III) NIIT, Neemrana
5.4) (Case study-IV) IIT, Jodhpur
5.5) (Case study-V)
5.6) Analysis

Chapter 6 – Conclusion……………………………………………………………….

COOL ROOF DESIGN 3

 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: India climate zone classification as specified in ECBC

Figure 2.2: Working of a cool roof

Figure 2.3: Measuring solar reflectivity

Figure 2.4: Half rim angle

Figure 2.5: The matrix shows the combination of different probabilities for a roof section

Figure 2.6: Ventilated roof

Figure 3.1: Cool roof installed
Figure 3.2: Cool roof installed
Figure 3.3: Gloss tiles

Figure 3.4: Matt tiles

Figure 3.5: Reinforced aluminium foil

Figure 3.6: Modified acrylic coating

Figure 3.7: Radiant-transmittive barrier

Figure 3.8: Roof insulation system

Figure 3.11: Damp Problems in Pitched Roofs

Figure 3.12:Warm Roofs Insulation
Figure 4.1: Lime Concrete Terracing

Figure 4.2: Lime concrete

Figure 4.3: Thatch Roof For Roof

Figure 4.4: Thatch Roof For Pandalas

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Roof Shape Alternatives

Table 2.2 Cool Roof Insulation (ASHRAE standard 90.1)
Table 2.3: Roof Assembly U Factor for ECBC 2017 Compliant building
Table 2.4: Roof Assembly U Factor for ECBC+ 2017 compliant building
Table 2.5: Roof Assembly U Factor for Super ECBC 2017 Compliant building
Table 3.1 Common roofing material in India
Table 3.2 Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) for typical roofing materials

Figure 3.9: Insulation above Suspended Ceilings

Figure 3.10: Evapo-reflective roof cooling system

Table 3.3: Relative Thermal Advantages of Materials of Roofs Used

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

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CHAPTER -1 INTRODUCTION

1.1) AIM
❖ To study and analyse about cool roof with present scenario of traditional roofs.
❖ In hot dry climates, it is estimated that almost half the urban peak load of energy
consumption is used to satisfy air-conditioning cooling demands in summer time.
❖ A cool roof is one of that reflects most of the incident sunlight and efficiently emits
some of the absorbed radiation back to the atmosphere, instead of conducting it to
the building.
❖ As a result, the roof literally stays cooler, with lower surface temperatures, keeping
the building at a cooler and more constant temperature. the term, 'cool roof' refers
to the outer layer or exterior surface of the roof which acts as the key reflective
surface.
❖ These roofs have higher solar reflectance than a typical roof surface.
❖ The term ‘cool roof’ encompasses an extensive array of roof types, colours, textures,
paints, coatings, and slope applications.

1.2) OBJECTIVE

❖ To study present condition of the traditional roof and future evolution with cool
roofs.
❖ To analyses historical, social, ecological, psychological and architectural aspects
of cool roofs.
❖ To study about cool roofs and its construction techniques.
❖ Analyse solution for Cool Roof Design.
❖ Types of cool roofs
❖ Global population &, consumption are increasing very fast.
❖ According to “world resource institute” in the last 15 years production wastes are
increasing in spite of increasing efficiencies
❖ The ecological footprint has emerged as the world’s premier measure of humanity’s
demand on nature.
❖ It is a measure of how much area of biologically productive land and water an
individual, population or activity requires to produce all the resources it consumes
and to absorb the waste it generates, using prevailing technology and resource
management practices.

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 ❖ By measuring the footprint of a population, individual, city, business, nation, or all of
humanity—we can assess our pressure on the planet, which helps us manage our
ecological assets more wisely and take personal and collective action in support of
a world where humanity lives within the earth’s bounds.
❖ In order to drive home the scope of cool roofs, for their technologically possible
relative thermal advantages, various construction materials of roof used in the above
household scenario were grouped. Households data of first two categories viz
Grass/Thatch/Bamboo and Tiles was categorized as a Non-Cool Roof and next two
categories (G.I./Metal/Asbestos and Concrete) were categorized as a Cool Roof.

1.3) LIMITATIONS

❖ It is an evolving technology and not much explored in India. There are a lot of
limitation to climate according to Indian context. Also, to implement in residence,
institutional, commercial sector might increase the initial cost of the project, though
in future it will make the cool roof cost effective.
❖ Increased need for heating in winter. During winter months, cool roofs increase
the need for heating energy in cold climates. However, in winter the sun stays low,
the days are short, and the skies are often cloudy, limiting the amount of sunlight
available to a roof.
❖ Glare. Glare from a bright white or silvery roof on a low-rise building may disturb
occupants of taller neighbouring buildings. In this situation a cool-coloured (non-
white) roof may be more appropriate for the shorter building.

1.4) METHODOLOGY

❖ The methodology implemented in this is based on an analytical literature study and

comparative simulation work for different cool roof methods. The literature study was
carried out to investigate and analyse possible roof solutions to hot climate, with a
focus on the climate.
❖ Two main variables were chosen: roof shape and material. These were
consecutively altered, which resulted in 37 different possibilities for roof
construction.
❖ The aim was to evaluate a broad number of cool roof enhancements capable of
extracting the most suitable energy efficient solutions in order to minimize heat
transfer from the top roof to the building envelope with minimum cooling hours in the
summer season. The efficiency of the 37 proposed cool roof solutions.

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 ❖ By reflecting the incident solar radiation back into the atmosphere and reemitting the
absorbed portion of the incident radiation as infrared radiation, cool roofs result in
cooler air temperatures for the surrounding urban environment during hot summer
months.
❖ With lower daytime ambient temperatures, buildings and vehicles are confronted by
a smaller temperature differential – leading to additional energy savings and
subsequently a reduction in harmful emissions from power plants. While reducing
ambient air temperatures, cool roofs also improve air quality by curtailing or
eliminating smog formation.
❖ The research has been conducted various research papers, journals, and articles
on cool roofs.
❖ To study about the feasibility of cool roof in residence, institutional, commercial
sectors case studies have been referred.

1.5) ENERGY CRISIS IN INDIA

Energy is the key to the material prosperity of a nation^ It provides an important

infrastructure to the all-round balanced-economic development of a country and furnishes
a vital input for agriculture and industry. It plays a crucial role in transforming a subsistence
economy into an advanced one.

The process of building up an industrial structure, which will provide the base for a self-
sustaining process of growth, will largely depend upon the adequate supply of fuel and
power. In fact, energy is the basis of modern industrial society and is indispensable for
industrial expansion. A good deal of industrial development in advanced countries is the
miracle brought about by high per capita

In view of its significance and far-reaching implications for India's development prospects,
adequate energy supplies become indispensable. However, despite a marked increase in
investment since the beginning of First Plan in energy sector, energy shortages have
become a feature of life in India, particularly since 1968-69. As such, constraints affecting
energy sector have emerged among the most important constraints on accelerated
development in India today. In fact, energy problem has by now been the issue of the
eighties, almost by common consent and ordinary citizens, captains of industry and policy-
makers alike seem to be totally lost in confusion.

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Energy crisis in India has become a serious challenge for the development of Indian
economy. The problem of meeting the increasing energy demands of the country is for -
midtable, indeed. It is not that India is running out of its energy resources. The crux of the
matter is that there is no prospect of developing cheap and replenishable non- conventional
sources of energy on a massive scale in the next decade or so. The real problem in India
is, therefore, one of rising energy costs which will tend to inhabit the rate of economic
growth. The present energy crisis in India can be ascribed to power shortages and
inadequate supplies of coal and petroleum products.

The slow rate of growth of generating capacity, as referred to above, is attributable to faulty
energy planning and wide spread and prolonged delays in the execution of power projects.
Although, demand for casting is essentially the first step in planning for energy
development, yet inadequacy of basic information and data on energy sector has been the
cause of faulty planning in India, but even more it is a symptom of these. Government and
policy makers cannot minimise the benefits of accurate information in the area of energy
planning as supply problems can be kept under control with superior demand management.
However, despite greater emphasis for increasing generating capacity in each Plan, it could
not match with the growth in demand for power. In other words, planned additions to
generating capacity could not materialise in any plan as a result of faulty planning

1.6) NEED’S OF COOL ROOF

❖ It is difficult for a building owner to assess the influence of roof properties on the
lifetime cost of heating and cooling energy, which depends on:
(a) climate- and building-specific hourly uses of heating and cooling energy;
(b) hourly valuations of energy;
(c) the time value (discounting) of money; and
(d) the service life of the roof.
Building owners may also be unaware of the societal benefits of cool roofs, such as
lower peak-power demand (reducing likelihood of power failures on hot days) and
lower outdoor air temperatures (improving comfort and slowing the formation of
smog). Hence, without cool-roof standards, owners will tend to choose roofs that
minimize initial construction cost, rather than the aggregate cost of construction and
lifetime energy consumption.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 10

 ❖ Provisions for cool roofs in energy-efficiency standards promote their building- and
climate appropriate use, and also stimulate the development of energy-saving cool-
roof technologies.
❖ One way of reducing energy generation is to reduce the demand for air conditioning.
Instead of relying entirely on mechanical means which are electricity dependent and
generated mainly from fossil fuels, architects should invest time in researching
passive strategies to reach the best possible combination of low energy and natural
climatic control for their buildings.
❖ Then mechanical and active systems can become supplementary aids. Thermal
comfort in the summer is always a main concern in hot climate regions.
❖ Natural ventilation and passive cooling have traditionally been two important
features in vernacular architecture to achieve thermal indoor comfort. It has been
calculated that, in hot climate regions, from 70% to 80% of total energy consumption
is used to operate mechanical cooling systems.
❖ There are indications that this is not only the case in the hot regions: research shows
that energy consumption related to cooling during the summer heat has been rising
recently in the slightly cooler climates.

1.7) HISTORICAL RELEVANCE OF COOL ROOFS IN INDIA

❖ Energy and Environment are the two key words of today’s Architecture. When
buildings of today go in search of methods and means to decrease their impact on
energy and environment, culturally rich countries like India, have a history of being
energy efficient and environmentally friendly in their construction activities.
❖ Many vernacular technologies are energy efficient and sustainable, though some of
them are no longer implementable because of the changed cultural, ecological, and
economic situations of the country.
❖ In this regard, the key challenge is to understand the benefits of those techniques
and find ways to integrate them to today’s buildings.
❖ In hot climates, most of the buildings of this century tend to depend on air
conditioning systems and electricity, and are unable to adapt to the present-day
climate. Most of these modern building is very poorly designed to withstand the
prevailing climatic conditions. This resulted on dependency of cooling system which
in turn consume large amount of electricity.

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❖ Buildings of modern day tend to behave like boxes created out of glass and RCC.
Lack of proper shading, over glazing, thin skin, inefficient air conditioning systems
are some prominent features of the energy consuming ghost buildings.
❖ In contrast to the modern building the vernacular building is more adaptable to the
local climate and environment.
❖ Use of thick walls, wind catches, ponds, courtyards, are some design principle which
include physical functionality, beauty, low-energy use, comfort, durability and
affordability.
❖ Many of these vernacular buildings tend to use local material, passive cooling and
heating, and renewable energy systems. Hence, taking a step back into the future,
will be the need for a sustainable earth.
❖ Building roofs have a major share in adding to the head load in the buildings.
❖ Being exposed to direct solar radiation all through the day, with maximum surface
area exposure, roofs act as paths of heat gain into the interior spaces.
❖ Traditionally, in India, building roofs which are flat act as multipurpose spaces. Flat
roofs of house in India are gathering grounds for many activities.
❖ During the day, they act as drying yards, and during the night they turn to sleeping
platforms.
❖ Especially in a multifamily culture that was once very much prevalent in India,
terraces are the spaces for kids to play, and families to gather.
❖ In North Western India, in states such as Gujarat and Rajasthan, it’s a common
practice to coat the roofs white, using lime and chalk. China mosaic also is another
popular practice in which women arrange the broken tiles (mostly white) in a spider
web pattern. Based on the local climate of the place, and availability of the material,
the roof finishes use to vary. The white coating always helped to keep the terrace
surface cool, and emit less radiation during the cooler parts of the day, when the
roofs are occupied for other activities. This in turn restricted the heat flow into the
building all through the day.

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1.8) CURRENT RELEVANCE OF COOL ROOF IN INDIA

❖ To make roofs energy efficient, typically two types of techniques are followed:
surface treatments (cool roofs, radiant barriers) and thermal property modifications
(roof insulation).

❖ The interplay between these two techniques has been studied using energy
simulations. Roofs that have high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance stay
cool in the sun.

❖ A roof with lower thermal emittance but exceptionally high solar reflectance can also
stay cool in the sun. substituting a cool roof for a non-cool roof decreases cooling
electricity use, cooling power demand and cooling equipment capacity
requirements, while slightly increasing heating energy consumption.

❖ Cool roofs can also lower the citywide ambient air temperature in summer, slowing
ozone formation and increasing human comfort.

❖ Cool roofs provide numerous benefits at the micro level as well as the community
level. cool roofs conserve energy and enhance thermal comfort because the interior
of a building is subject to less thermal flux.

❖ They assist in mitigating the urban heat island effect, and when installed
comprehensively, can result in lowered ambient air temperatures on an urban scale.

REFERENCES

• http://CoolColors.LBL.gov
• http://HeatIsland.LBL.gov
• H.Fathy, Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture: Principles and Examples with
Reference to Hot Arid Climates, Published for United Nations University by the
University of Chicago Press, Chicago,1986.
• Central Electricity Authority (CEA). CO2Base line database for the Indian power
sector, user guide version 5.0. November 2009. Government of India, Ministry of
Power, http://www.cea.nic.in/planning/c%20and%20e/user_guide_ver5.pdf; 2009.

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CHAPTER -2 COOL ROOF DESIGN

2.1) CLIMATE ZONE ANALYSIS

India is a land of different climatic conditions varying from very hot and dry to cold and
humid. The characteristics of each climate differ and accordingly the comfort requirements
vary from one climatic zone to another. Based on the intended use, comfort requirements
and design type, the energy requirement of buildings change. There are five climatic zones
based on the hourly temperature, various climatic parameters and solar radiation:
❖ Composite
❖ Hot-dry
❖ Moderate
❖ Warm-humid
❖ Cold

Figure 2.1: India climate zone classification as specified in ECBC

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HOT AND DRY CLIMATE
❖ Climate is an important aspect of life particularly in areas with hot and dry climate
such as Jodhpur, where people face variety of problems related to climate especially
in modern housing. Traditional built environment of Jodhpur is considered
appropriate for both the climate as well as for social conditions.
❖ The modern architecture of international style which has dominated the new
developments generally considered inappropriate, particularly because it was
introduced without consideration for the local climate or for the cultural need of the
population. Traditional built environment in Jodhpur have evolved in response to
climate, reducing the effect of hostile desert climate conditions.
❖ The main concern of the builders was to modify extremes of air temperature, and to
protect the inhabitants from solar radiation and glare as well as from sand and dust.
❖ In hot and dry climate, the most significant problems are those caused by solar
radiation and UV rays. These can destroy surface finishes, above all coated surfaces
of metal sections, metal sheeting and wood surfaces.
❖ The great temperature difference of 45 oC in summer and cold winter nights with
temperature below freezing point, impose considerable strain on the construction
and material in the form of swelling and contraction.
❖ Sand bearing winds have a damaging effect on the surface finishes, such as sand
blasting surfaces.
❖ Although the choice of the building material is essentially determined by local
availability, their economy, durability and suitability for the particular climate.
❖ The means of transporting materials from distant place of production is also an
important factor.
❖ For many the acceptance of material is related to its status. Vernacular architecture
of Hot and Dry Climate of Jodhpur has many passive design features.
❖ The coolness of the houses on a hot summer afternoon never fails to impress the
visitor and makes one wonder how the indigenous builders could create such
comfortable buildings without aid of modern scientific knowledge.

2.1.1 Urban Climate

❖ The air temperatures in densely built urban areas are often higher than the
temperatures of the surrounding countryside.

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❖ This is due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. The term “urban heat island”
refers to increased surface temperatures in some pockets of a city, caused by an
ever-changing microclimate.
❖ The difference between the maximum city temperature (measured at the city centre)
and the surrounding countryside is the urban heat-island intensity.
❖ An urban heat island study was carried out in Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi,
Vishakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Bhopal and Chennai. It is seen that; the heat island
intensity is greatest in Pune (about 10 °C) and lowest in Vishakhapatnam (about
0.6°C).
❖ In the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, the
corresponding values are 9.5, 6.0, 4.0 and 4.0 oC respectively. Clearly, the values
are quite high. The density of the built environment and the extent of tree cover or
vegetation primarily affect the heat-island intensity.
❖ Pollution and heat due to vehicular traffic, industrialization and human activities are
other contributing factors. Normally, the central business district (CBD) or the centre
of city experiences higher temperatures than the other parts.
❖ This is because the CBD mainly consists of concrete buildings and asphalted roads,
which heat up very quickly due to radiation from the sun. Most of this heat is stored
and released very slowly, sometimes even up to the night.
❖ This phenomenon does not allow the daily minimum temperature to become too low.
Though it may be a welcome phenomenon in cold regions during winters, it makes
life unbearable for people in the hot regions.
❖ Thus, in tropical climates, the provision of sufficient ventilation and spacing between
buildings is required to allow the accumulated heat to escape to the atmosphere
easily.
❖ Street patterns and urban blocks can be oriented and sized to incorporate concerns
of light, sun, and shade according to the dictates of the climate.
❖ For example, the densely built areas produce, store and retain more heat than low-
density areas. Thus, the temperature differential between urban areas and the
surrounding countryside increases as the surrounding areas cool at night. As a
result, cooler air from the surrounding countryside flows towards the centre.
❖ This kind of circulation is more pronounced on calm summer nights and can be
utilized to flush dense areas of heat and pollutants. To achieve cool air movement,
a belt of undeveloped and preferably vegetated land at the perimeter of the city, can
be provided to serve as a cool air source.

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2.2) WHAT IS COOL ROOF

❖ Cool roofs are one of the inexpensive passive strategies that are easy to install,
reduce heat gain and improve indoor thermal comfort in hot climates.
❖ Using cool roofs with good roof thermal properties during the initial design and
construction of the building, or when retrofitting, are usually more cost effective on
both the building and urban level, this can save a considerable amount of the energy
that is consumed in cooling.
❖ The cool roof as a solution to reduce the amount of energy used to satisfy cooling
demands during the summer.
❖ Several roof composition solutions as tools to reduce heat gain. The main idea is to
enhance the performance of cool roof construction composition through an
investigation of several alternatives and possibilities.
❖ The effectiveness of different types of roof sections in hot climates. However, some
types do not conform to current conventional building techniques or they specify
materials.
❖ Better roof design, alone, is the way to reduce cooling loads or discomfort hours.
Thus, this present research aims to evaluate a broader range of possible varieties
of roof construction in terms of materials and shape; some elements of the research
are based on literature review alone but this has made available a wider field for
comparison and allows for better evaluation.
❖ A roof with an ability to reflect and emit the sun’s heat back to the sky instead of
transferring it to the buildings is said to be a cool roof.
❖ It has high solar reflectance and thermal emittance values.
❖ Cool roofs are one of the important energy conservation measures in buildings in
countries like India.
❖ The importance of cool roof in historical architecture of India, the current trends, and
its relevance in codes and rating systems. Further, several cool roof materials were
installed on field, and were tested for performance over a year. From this, it has
been observed that ceramic tiles though provide lesser savings compared to the
white elastomeric coatings; they tend to have longer life providing a good payback
over time.

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2.2.1 A cool roof and its properties
As defined by the Cool Roof Rating Council, a cool roof reflects and emits the sun’s heat
back to the sky instead of transferring it to the building. The coolness of the roof is measure
of two properties: solar reflectance and thermal emittance. Both the properties are
measured from 0 to 1 and the higher the value, the cooler the roof.

Figure 2.2: Working of a cool roof

Roof reflectivity:
❖ A reflective roof is typically light in colour and absorbs less sunlight than a
conventional dark-colour roof. Less absorption of sunlight lowers the roof’s surface
temperature, reducing the heat transfer through the roof. This property of the roof
makes it a ―Cool Roof.
❖ When the roof surface is painted white or treated white, the surface temperature of
the roof decreases. This further decreases the effective temperature difference
between the outdoor and the indoor thereby reducing the heat gain into the rooms
through the process of conduction which can be measured using the formula:
Q= UA (delta t)
Where,
Q= heat transfer rate (W)
U= Coefficient of heat transfer/Conductance of the roof (W/m 2 K)
A= Surface area (m2)
delta t= temperature difference between the outdoor and indoor (K)

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Roof Emissivity:
❖ Emissivity of the roof material defines the ability of the material to radiate out the
absorbed heat. All the roof materials except metals generally are having an
emissivity of 0.9.
❖ Emissivity of the metal roof is around 0.5 due to which the rooms with metal roof
have less possibility to get cooled naturally. Roofing materials with less emissivity
are appropriate in cold climates.

How to measure:

Figure 2.3: Measuring solar reflectivity

❖ Solar reflectivity is measured according to ASTM E903. Traditional roofing materials

have an SRI of between 5% (brown shingles) and 20% (green shingles).
❖ White shingles with SRI's around 35% were popular in the 1960s, but they lost favour
because they get dirty easily.
❖ The current trend is to make white shingles more reflective.
❖ Materials specialist Paul Bergdahl is developed a new rating system called the solar
reflectance index (SRI) to measure how hot materials are in the sun.
❖ The extremes of white and black paint (on the graph above) define the solar
reflectance index (SRI).

COOL ROOF DESIGN 19

 ❖ However, as stated in CRRC, a cool roof need not necessarily be white. There are
many ―cool colour‖ products use darker-colour pigments that are highly reflective
in the near infrared (non-visible) portion of the solar spectrum. With ―cool colour
technologies there are roofs that come in a wide variety of colours and still maintain
a high solar reflectance.
❖ Research and development of these cool coloured roof products is being conducted
by LBNL and ORNL

2.2.2 Benefits of cool roof

Benefits of cool roof include but are not limited to the decrease in heat gain into buildings
through roof because of the increase in roof solar reflectance, which thereby decreases the
cooling energy consumption, and mitigates global warming. Advantages of a cool roof in
different applications are discussed below.
In Unconditioned spaces:
❖ Decrease in indoor temperatures and increase in comfort conditions.
In Conditioned spaces:
❖ Decrease in heat gain, which reduces the energy consumption by the cooling
system.
❖ This saving in consumption of the air conditioning system under a cool roof is about
5% when compared with the normal grey roof.
Reduces Heat Island effect:
❖ Cities generally are around 2° to 8°C warmer than surrounding areas due to dark
materials, including roofs, which absorb the sun’s light energy as heat during the
day and release it at night as heat.
❖ This phenomenon removes the opportunity for air to cool down at night and results
in higher temperatures being maintained longer. By immediately reflecting solar
radiation back into the atmosphere and reemitting some portion of it as infrared
radiation, cool roofs result in cooler air temperatures for the surrounding urban
environment during hot summer months, thereby reducing the heat island effect
caused.
Reduces Global warming:
❖ Cool roof also helps in decreasing the rate of global warming. Cool roofs result in
conservation of electrical energy which in turn reduces the production of electricity.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 20

 ❖ Decrease in electricity production results in decrease of greenhouse gas emissions.
As a direct benefit, cool roofs also cool the world independently by reflecting the
sun’s energy as light back to the atmosphere, thereby mitigating global warming.
❖ Decreases roof maintenance costs due to longer roof life. Treating the roof
white also helps in increase the roof of the life by decreasing the heat transfer
through the roof surfaces which effect in thermal expansion and contraction of the
material. The properties of the material are prevented from the harsh weather effect
of the sun, thereby increasing the life of the overall roof.

2.3) THE CONCEPT OF THE COOL ROOF DESIGN

❖ Based on Parker’s definition of what constitutes a cool roof, the technique is

considered a passive solution and a building typology that assists in reducing the
cooling loads and energy demands on a building’s envelope.
❖ The same source specifies that cool roofs can be surfaces that reflect sunlight and
emit heat more efficiently than other dark roofs. On a normal sunny day in a hot dry
climatic zone, a typical roof surface can reach to 37◦C above the ambient
temperature.
❖ Research shows that roof surface temperature can exceed the temperature of the
other surrounding surfaces covered with vegetation by 20◦C.
❖ The actual benefits of a cool roof on any particular building will depend on several
factors, including type, load, season and most importantly the climatic zone. There
are several environmental benefits to cool roofs.
❖ On the urban level, cool roofs can contribute in reducing urban air temperatures by
decreasing the quantity of heat transferred from roofs to the urban environment. This
can be done by using, for example, retro-reflective materials and reflective coatings
thus mitigating the urban heat island effect.
❖ On the level of building, cool roof improves indoor thermal comfort. Consequently, a
cool roof reduces energy bills by reducing the dependency on mechanical air
conditioning systems.
❖ A typical application for a cool roof will achieve a reduction of about 10% to 40% in
air conditioning energy. A further, long term, benefit is that a lower roof temperature
reduces maintenance and, hence, extends the life of the roof.
Solar reflectance and thermal emittance are the two key material surface properties that
determine the temperature of a roof. An amount of solar radiation is reflected back towards
the sky from the roof surface and the rest of the solar energy is absorbed at the surface.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 21

The higher the reflectance (albedo) of the surface the less energy will be absorbed. The
energy balance of the roof surface can be expressed as (All units in W/m 2):
Rn= QH+ QE+ QS
Where,
• Rn is the net absorbed short- and long-wave radiation,
• QH is the sensible heat which will be carried away from the roof through convection
and radiation,
• QE is the latent heat from evaporation,
• QS is the heat that will be stored in the roof surface and transferred to the ceiling
through conduction. The amount of heat that reaches the inner space will be
determined by the insulative properties of the roof materials. If the roof surface is
dry, QE will be negligible.

Despite the fact that cool roofs are considered efficient solutions in reducing heat gain,
there are drawbacks to their use. In general, they increase the need for heating in winter.
However, if the location has no or low heating needs, the cool roof solution is optimal.
Another drawback is that the bright colours used in cool roofs cause glare and visual
discomfort to neighbours in taller adjacent buildings. In order to reduce heat, gain the
conductivity of the roof, the reflective properties and the colour of the materials with the
roof shape.

2.4) STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION AND MATERIAL PERFORMANCE OF

THE COOL ROOF

❖ A considerable number of experimental and field studies have been carried out to
measure the energy efficiency of cool roofs and their effect in reducing cooling loads
and energy consumption, especially in summer time.
❖ Other researchers have conducted computational studies to demonstrate how a cool
roof can help to reduce energy demands by cooling the effect of the dominant
climate.
❖ Some have carried out mathematical calculations to see the effect of a cool roof
shape on indoor thermal comfort. Another area of research has been to examine
practical measures to reduce the heat island effect.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 22

 ❖ A recent review study on cool roofs and heat island mitigation shows that in hot
climates, reflective cool roofs with high albedo present a much higher heat island
mitigation potential than green roofs during the peak period.
❖ Other studies show that cool roofs can save energy and reduce air pollutants. In the
following sections types of roof structure, composition and material performance.

2.4.1 Evaporative cooling through roof ponds

❖ Evaporative cooling has proved to be an effective passive cooling strategy for a hot
arid climate. In the hot arid climate in August have proved that an average reduction
of 5◦C in indoor temperature can be achieved by using a roof with moist soil shaded
by 10 cm of pebbles.
❖ A walkable roof pond with night water circulation. The roof pond was filled with
pebbles, with an insulation layer on top of which thin tiles were placed over the
insulation, acting as a roof top surface accessible for the building’s occupants.
❖ This technique reduced the indoor temperature by 6◦C compared to the outdoor
temperature when measured and tested in August. However, we believe it is not
ideal to adopt this idea in the case of low-cost housing it needs a special roof
structure to stand the dead load of the water. In addition, it needs regular
maintenance.
❖ As hot and dry climate zones suffers from water shortage, if a cool roof pond is used
recommend working with grey water instead of fresh water adds that water leakage
can be a huge problem as it is hard to locate cracks in a roof, which is also a point
to consider given the in efficiency of workmanship.
❖ An evapo-reflective roof using water ponds, low emissivity surfaces and inserted
rocks of high thermal capacity. Combined this cool roof system with natural night
ventilation to improve space cooling in buildings in hot arid climates. An evaporative
reflective roof can reduce internal room air temperatures during the day by up to
8◦C. The passive cooling of water at night in an uninsulated open tank to indicate
the effectiveness of the evapo-reflective roof when used through radiant ceiling
cooling panel systems.

2.4.2 Solar reflection of the roof surface

❖ Given that the thermal performance of a building is directly affected by the solar
absorbance of the roof, it has been found that, in a clear sky situation, from 20% to
95% of solar radiation is typically absorbed by the roof surface.
❖ The amount of absorption depends on the reflectivity (albedo) of the roof surface.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 23

 ❖ The reflectivity varies from about 0.1 for a very black colours to 0.8 for a very white
colour. Generally, the rejection of solar gain is the main goal of passive cooling
strategies especially in hot climates.
❖ Direct sunlight onto a roof not only affects the indoor thermal comfort; thermal
radiation coming from the roof materials affects the micro climate around a building.
❖ Several studies have proved a significant difference in heat gain if light colours are
used instead of dark colours. Generally, the studies indicate that coating the roof
with a cool heat reflective paint or using bright colours helps to maintain a lower
temperature on the exterior roof surface, which consequently helps to reduce the
indoor temperature.
❖ White is the most effective colour for flat cool roofs as it reflects between 55% and
80% of incident sunlight.

2.4.3. Roof shape and form

❖ When it comes to the roof shape, domed and vaulted roofs have been widely used
in traditional and vernacular buildings. Unlike the flat roof a rounded or curved roof
is in the shade for part of the day.
❖ It has hither to generally been taken for-granted that rounded or curved roofs reduce
the indoor temperature compared to flat roofs but a study carried out on the radiation
absorbed by vaulted and domed roofs in a hot climate showed that domed roofs
actually absorb less beam radiation than a corresponding flat roof but only during
the hours around noon.
❖ They actually absorb more beam radiation in the early morning and late afternoon.
❖ This means that the smaller the area exposed to the sun, the smaller the amount of
beam radiation. The study recommended the construction of domed roofs with more
than 60◦ of half dome angle.
❖ Other research has suggested that a vaulted roof with rim angles of less than 120◦
at night and in the early morning has a lower heat flow than a flat roof. The same
research pointed out that the efficiency increases with higher rim angles.
❖ In another study Tangential, recommend a half rim angle for vaulted roofs of
between 50◦ and 60◦ to satisfy the needs of both un-air-conditioned and air-
conditioned buildings. They also recommend that the optimal orientation of the vault
be north-south facing.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 24

 Figure 2.4: Half rim angle

2.4.4. The matrix

The Matrix, is designed that the two main variables are alternated together. These two main
variables are:
❖ Five roof shapes: flat roof, double roof, dome, vault and ventilated vault.
❖ Four cool roof material: insulation, albedo, an air gap and a water pond.
The matrix was designed in a simple mathematical way by which the two main variables
match only once. The number of unique variables (M) are formed by a triangular matrix
with identical input for head columns and head rows (m). The base case (C) was added to
the number of variables as a constant. The number of incompatible roof composition (y) is
subtracted from the total variables (M - y). Thus, the total number of examined variables
was calculated as follows:
m2/2+m/2+C=M
16/2+2+1=11 roof layers variables
(x1.M-y1) + (x2.M-y2) +...(xn.M-yn) = x.M-˙ y (that makes a total of 50 roof solutions)
(1×11-4) +(1×11-7) +(1×11-7) +(1×11-0) +(1×11-0)
5× 11 - 18 = 37 (total applicable variables).

COOL ROOF DESIGN 25

As shown in the equation above, the total number formed by this matrix was 50 roof
sections. Theoretically, it is possible to simulate and examine all roof construction
probabilities extracted from the matrix; however, in practice some probabilities are not
applicable during construction, such as the water pond and the air gap layers with the
dome, vault and the ventilated vault. Therefore, these were dismissed from the evaluation,
resulting in only 37 examined roof sections. From the 37 selected the most significant cases
and their efficiency was compared.

2.4.5. Cool roof material properties

There are four main material variables: high albedo paint, thermal insulation, air gap and
water pond. Their thermal properties and description are:

Figure 2.5: The matrix shows the combination of different probabilities for a roof
section

2.4.6. Cool roof shape variables

In this study the flat roof, dome, vault, ventilated vault and flat double roof were tested. The
cross section of the five different roof shape variables is the same as the conventional flat
roof cross section, which is 150 mm of reinforced concrete, 20 mm of cement mortar and
10 mm tiling. The five different shapes of roofs.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 26

Table 2.1 Roof Shape Alternatives
Roof Shape Roof illustration Rim angle

Flat roof

Dome

80◦

Vault

70◦

Ventilated Vault

70◦

Double roof 2.7 m roof

Height and extended
2.0 m from Façade
--

COOL ROOF DESIGN 27

2.4.7. Roof geometry and heat gain
❖ Generally, a curved roof has a larger convection heat-transfer surface, allowing it to
be more easily cooled.
❖ When air flows over a cylindrical or spherical object, the velocity of the air at the
apex is increased and, as a consequence, the pressure at the apex is lowered.
❖ In addition, when an air vent is added to the top of a curved ceiling, as in our
ventilated vault case, it is rendered more effective.
❖ For the natural ventilation in the simulation, the wind velocity, frequency and
direction were important to ensure correct behaviour.
❖ The most frequent direction of the cool prevailing wind is south west-north east,
which was taken into consideration in the orientation of the vault.
❖ In the flat roof section, adding a high albedo resulted in the fewest number of
discomfort hours.
❖ Where a high albedo coating proved to be the most efficient cool roof approach, and
albedo starts to pay for itself immediately through its direct effect.
❖ Using high albedo or reflectance coating for roof materials is one of the variables
that help in reducing heat gain. In addition, a surface with raised albedo remains
colder when exposed to direct solar radiation because it absorbs little and reflects
more thermal radiation to the surrounding space.
❖ The increased albedo roof heat gain is as effective as insulation in a hot climate and
is a cost efficient solution.
❖ It is argued that the albedo effect of flat white roofs in cities with hot summers can
offset the emission of CO2, which in some cases reached the equivalent CO
emission over the life span of the roof.
❖ Further on the flat roof insulated section (U value = 0.36), the total roof gains
decrease by 90%, reaching a total of 48 kW h when the average indoor temperature
in the month of August is 31.9◦C.
❖ The reason for the total decrease of heat is explained in other research work, which
recommends that it is better to use a light roof colouring in combination with a
reflective roof because that enhances the roof’s reflecting qualities.
❖ Other studies confirm that using insulation alone may obstruct night-time cooling.
Consequently, a flat roof with an air gap (U-value = 2.1) yields poorer results due to
the difference in the thermal conductance: in the month of August, the total heat gain
through the roof can reach 360 kWh and an average indoor temperature of 32.1 ◦C.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 28

 ❖ This is not the case in the flat roof water pond section (U value = 2.5) where,
although its total thermal resistance is less than the air gap section, the result is
fewer indoor discomfort hours when the average indoor temperature in the month of
August is 31.6◦C is because water has four times the thermal storage capacity of
earth, which means that water will, therefore, experience a lower range of
temperature variations.
❖ In other studies, the water pond solution was combined with active electric fans, or
a shaded pond was introduced to increase efficiency.
❖ Nevertheless, the water pond is not recommended due to several significant
concomitant limitations such as the contamination that is caused by standing water,
the possibility of leakage, the cost of maintenance and its effect on heating hours.
❖ A water pond should contain approximately 150–200 mm of water plus 40–80 mm
of foam insulation.

2.4.8. The effect of material variables on heat gain

❖ Solar protection measures e.g. roof shading or albedo, achieve a greater decrease
in indoor discomfort hours than thermal protection measures such as decreasing the
roof’s U-value.
❖ The three main properties of a roof surface that affect heat gain and energy flux are
solar reflectance and thermal insulation.
❖ In the domed roof cases, increasing the albedo of the roof surface leads to heat loss
through the roof of 520 kW h, and an average indoor temperature in the month of
August of 30.8◦C.
❖ With added insulation to the roof section, the average indoor temperature in August
reached 31.9◦C. In the vault roof, adding albedo led to a decrease of the average
indoor temperature in the month of August to 30.2◦C, yet with added insulation the
result was 32.2◦C.
❖ Inducing ventilation inside the vault by creating voids on both sides led to an indoor
temperature of 31.6◦C. Hence the decrease in discomfort hours when combining
induced ventilation and high albedo in the case of the vault decreased to 979 h only.
❖ In the case of the total shading of the flat roof with an external shading device, the
roof heat losses mark a value of 183 kW h. When compared to another solar control
measure, such as adding albedo, the losses are about 30% of the albedo flat roof
losses.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 29

 ❖ It is recommended that the roof be provided with shade: this is preferable done to
using plantation because shade is proved to be viable and low cost. Roof planting
is beneficial in many dry areas because the irrigation of the roof will cool the roof
surface through evaporative cooling.
❖ Cool roofing materials require an initial investment in bright materials, which turned
out to be more effective in terms of life-cycle cost than the conventional dark
alternatives.
❖ Usually, a lower life-cycle cost result from longer roof life and/or energy savings.
Insulation materials were also considered among the alternative solutions tested in
this research.
❖ Generally insulating materials are very effective in saving energy, both for cooling
and for heating, but their effectiveness normally depends on the properties of the
insulation material used and its position in the roof sandwich structure.

2.5) ENERGY EFFICIENT ROOFS

The heat transmission into buildings through the roof directly contributes towards
increasing internal surfaces temperatures, resulting in a higher radiant heat, as well as
higher consumption of energy for cooling. The roofs are the most important component that
contribute significantly to the quality of the indoor thermal comfort and are responsible for
as much as 50% heating and cooling load of the buildings. The thermal performance of
roofs depends on the design, surface reflectance, roof treatment.
2.5.1 Roof design
Interaction of the building envelope with the surrounding climatic conditions is responsible
for the indoor comfort conditions. The roof has been found to be the most important
structural element of buildings in a hot environment by modelling and simulation of energy
flows in modern houses. Various types of roofs like naturally ventilated cavity roof, cool
ceiling with roof solar chimney, filler slab roof.
A) The Ventilated Roof
• Systems are essentially two slabs delimiting a duct through which air flows. This air
gap/air flow diminishes the heat transfer across the roof into the building.
• Ventilated roofs can be either a passive type, with stack effect driving the air flow,
or an active type, with fan induced ventilation.
• They are more popular in hot climatic conditions and are particularly useful in
moderate height and wide roof area buildings.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 30

 Figure 2.6: Ventilated roof

• Solar roof ventilation may perform better than Trombe wall design in climates where
the solar altitude is large as roof collectors provide larger surface area to collect the
solar energy and hence higher air exit temperature.
• However, observed that with only roof solar collector system, there is little potential
to satisfy room thermal comfort.
• Roof integrated water solar collector made of several layers of glass followed by
water chamber and metallic sheet at the bottom and could be used for domestic
heating and cooling systems.

B) A Venturi-Shaped Roof
• Can drive the natural ventilation of the building zones. The integration of this roof
concept into a larger framework of sustainable building design.
• Different design configurations of the venturi shaped roof were analysed: without
guiding vanes, with guiding vanes at every 90 interval and with guiding vanes at
every 100 intervals with focus on the under pressure in the narrowest roof section
(contraction).
• Adding guiding vanes strongly increased the flow resistance, which caused a larger
part of the approaching wind flow to flow over and around the roof, rather than being
forced through it.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 31

C) A Solar Chimney in Roof
• Simply constructed by providing a small air gap under the roof and hot air in the
room is removed by routing the air through the air gap due to the developed thermal
buoyancy.
• The applications and modification on of solar chimney. The modifications include
increasing the area of solar chimney per volume of the room, utilizing different
materials for solar chimney, increasing the number of openings and increasing the
temperature difference by adding a heater at the outlet of the solar chimney
presented a parametric analytical study of roof solar chimney coupled with wind
cooled cavity using spread-sheet computer program.
• In another study, the application of cool ceiling and solar chimney was found to
reduce the ceiling temperature by 2–40C, increase the circulation in the upper and
lower regions of the room and reduce the air temperature in the room by 0.5–0.70C,
thus increasing the comfort opportunity.

D) Filler Slab Roofs

• They are basically solid reinforced concrete slabs with partial replacement of the
concrete in the tension zone by a filler material.
• The filler material could be cheaper or cheaper and lighter like brick or brick panel,
Mangalore tile, stabilized mud block, hollow concrete block, hollow clay tile/block,
etc. Quantity of concrete in the tension zone of the slab that can be replaced by a
filler material depends upon the shape of the filler material and the thickness of the
solid slab.
• For example, in a solid concrete slab of 125 mm thickness, a filler block of 60–70
mm thickness can be easily accommodated. In a typical situation, by using a
stabilized mud block, 25% of the concrete can be replaced by a material, which costs
one third the cost of concrete.
• This means that 15–20% of the cost of concrete can be saved by this operation.
Burned clay pots were used as fillers in an RCC slab to increase the effective depth
and thereby save steel, while also reducing the volume of concrete.
• These pots are useful for creating floor slabs and also act as insulators. The pots
required no plastering and could be integrated with inexpensive shuttering planks.
• This resulted in 60% saving in steel and 30% saving in cost.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 32

 E) Vaulted Roof and Flat Roof in Various Climatic Conditions
• Showed that vaulted roofs are only suitable for hot and dry climates, due to the
presence of larger beam component of the solar radiation which is effectively
reflected by the curved roof surface, and not so much for hot and humid climates.
• In hot and arid climatic conditions vaulted and domed roofs are quite popular in the
vernacular architecture.
• Although vaulted roofs absorb more heat during the daytime than flat roofs, they
also dissipate more heat through natural convection and re-radiation especially
during night times in typical desert climate that experiences colder ambient
temperatures.
• High thermal stratification occurs inside vaulted roof buildings, with almost 75% of
the stratification taking place in the volume under the vault, keeping the lower part
of the building space cool.
• The hot air can be exhausted near the top of the gable walls of vaults.

2.5.2 Cool roof

❖ Cool roofs are defined as those with a surface that is both highly reflective and
emissive. Reflectivity, or albedo, is the amount of total sunlight striking the roof
surface that gets reflected back into the atmosphere, and emissivity is the ability of
a roof surface to emit residual heat during cool evening hours.
❖ Cool roof systems use certain light colour membranes or coatings to achieve these
characteristics.
❖ For cool roofs the combined effect of the three parameters that define heat gain and
loss from a roof, namely solar albedo, thermal emittance and sub-roof resistance
value, must be considered.
2.5.3 Green roof
❖ Green roof most commonly refers to vegetative roof systems that contain live plants
at top of the roof membrane.
❖ Vegetative roofs are classified as either intensive or extensive, based on planting
medium depth.
❖ Intensive vegetative roofs are the more substantial roof-garden variety and
accommodate the growth of trees and shrubs.
❖ They require a planting medium of at least 1 foot in depth and can reach up to 3 feet
in depth.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 33

 ❖ Extensive vegetative green
roofs are thinner, lighter systems
using vegetation of grasses or
sedums that have shallower root
structures.
❖ Green roofs have been
vastly investigated in the last
decades in many cities around the
world as a tool to solve many
problems in the urban environment, such as storm water runoff management,
mitigation of urban heat island effects and increase of roof materials durability.
❖ With an insulation role associated with evaporative cooling and better capturing of
the solar radiation by the phenomena of inter reflections within the foliage, green
roofs have a very positive impact on the energy performance of buildings.
❖ The climate did not seem to have a significant impact on the planted roofs. The
green roofs presented a similar picture regarding their summer surface
temperatures in hot and humid and hot and dry climates.
❖ A thermal performance metric for vegetated roof systems was also developed.
❖ Life-cycle assessment of green roofs suggested that they are currently not cost
effective on a private cost basis, but multifamily and commercial building green roofs
are competitive when social benefits are included.
❖ Green roofs provide a thermal mass layer which helps reduce the flow of heat into
a building. The solar reflectance of green roofs varies depending on the plant types
(generally 0.3-0.5).
❖ Green roofs may not reflect as much as other cool roofs but do have other benefits
such as evapo-transpiration which cools the plants and the immediate area around
the plants, aiding in lowering rooftop temperatures, naturally.
2.5.4 Roof treatments
Extreme summertime weather conditions, higher internal and solar heat gains and
increased comfort expectations give rise to an increase in building cooling demand. The
roof is most exposed to impacts of solar radiation, as it receives sunlight for practically the
whole day. Heat gain through roof elevates ceiling surface temperature and causes radiant
heat load on the occupants. The term ‘roof includes the roof structure, the outer covering,
and layers of insulating materials or membranes and the ceiling.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 34

2.6) CODES, VOLUNTARY AND MANDATORY PROGRAMS RELATED TO COOL
ROOF IN INDIA

Types of requirements in standards

Building energy-efficiency standards typically specify both mandatory and prescriptive
requirements. Mandatory requirements, such as practices for the proper installation of
insulation, must be implemented in all buildings subject to the standard. A prescriptive
requirement typically specifies the characteristics or performance of a single component of
the building (e.g., the thermal resistance of duct insulation) or of a group of components
(e.g., the thermal transmittance of a roof assembly).
All buildings regulated by a particular standard must achieve either prescriptive or
performance compliance. A proposed building that meets all applicable mandatory and
prescriptive requirements will be in prescriptive compliance with the standard. Alternatively,
a proposed building can achieve performance compliance with the standard if (a) it satisfies
all applicable mandatory requirements and (b) its annual energy use does not exceed that
of comparable “design” (a.k.a. “standard,” or “reference”) building that achieves prescriptive
compliance.
Prescribing the use of cool roofs in building energy efficiency-standards promotes the cost-
effective use of cool roofs to save energy, reduce peak power demand, and improve air
quality. Another option is to credit, rather than prescribe, the use of cool roofs. This can
allow more flexibility in building design, permitting the use of less energy-efficient
components (e.g., larger windows) in a building that has energy-saving cool roofs. Such
credits are energy neutral, but may still reduce peak power demand and improve air quality.
They may also reduce the first cost of the building.

ASHRAE Standard 90.1

In 1999, the American Society for Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE) first credited cool roofs on non-residential and high-rise residential buildings in
ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999: Energy Standards for Buildings Except Low-Rise
Residential Buildings (ASHRAE 1999). In 2001, ASHRAE amended its standards for low
rise residential buildings to credit cool roofs, implementing the revisions three years later
in ASHRAE Standard 90.2-2004: Energy-Efficient Design of Low-Rise Residential
Buildings (ASHRAE 2004b).
Cool roofs versus roof insulation
Solar-reflective roofs with high thermal emittance stay cool in the sun, reducing the flow of
heat from the roof to the building’s conditioned space. This can decrease the need for

COOL ROOF DESIGN 35

cooling energy in summer, and increase heating-energy use in winter. The winter heating
energy penalty is usually smaller than the summer cooling-energy savings, because in
winter the sun is low, the days are short, the skies are often cloudy, and heating occurs
mainly in early morning and early evening.
Table 2.2 Cool Roof Insulation (ASHRAE standard 90.1)
S.NO. PARAMETERS SOLAR REFLECTANCE
1. Shingles 0.03 to 0.26
2. Black single-ply roofing, smooth bitumen, gray 0.06, 0.06, 0.23, and 0.26,
single ply roofing, and nominally white (actually respectively
gray) granule-surfaced bitumen
3. Gravel roofs 0.12 to 0.34
depending on gravel color
4. Asphalt-aluminium coating 30 to 0.61
5. Freshly applied white elastomeric coating 0.60 to 0.85
6. New white single-ply roofing membrane 0.70

❖ It was therefore assumed that a “cool” low-sloped roof should have an initial solar
reflectance not less than 0.70, an aged solar reflectance not less than 0.55, and a
thermal emittance not less than 0.80.
❖ The thermal emittances of these non-metallic surfaces were about 0.8 to 0.9. Bare,
shiny metal roofs have higher solar reflectance (about 0.60), but their low thermal
emittances (about 0.10) make them as hot as a dark roof under low-speed winds.
❖ Roof insulation impedes the flow of heat between the roof and the conditioned
space, slowing both heating of the building when the roof is warmer than the inside
air and cooling of the building when the roof is cooler than the inside air. One can
develop an energy neutral trade-off between the solar reflectance of the roof’s
surface and the thermal transmittance of the roof assembly.

Cool-roof credits
ASHRAE Standard 90.1 permits both prescriptive and performance (“energy cost budget”)
compliance. ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999 includes two forms of credits for a cool roof,
defined as one with a minimum initial solar reflectance of 0.70 and a minimum thermal
emittance of 0.75. For performance compliance, a cool roof on a proposed building is
assigned a solar absorptance of 0.55 (solar reflectance of 0.45), while a non cool roof on a
proposed building and the roof on the design building are each assigned a solar

COOL ROOF DESIGN 36

absorptance of 0.70 (solar reflectance of 0.30). We note that the solar reflectance of 0.45
assigned to a cool proposed roof is less than that assumed in the preceding analysis; this
may be a typographical error. The standard should be corrected to assign a solar
reflectance of 0.55 (solar absorptance of 0.45) to a cool proposed roof.

ASHRAE Standard 90.2

The procedure for incorporating the effect of roof solar reflectance in the ASHRAE Standard
90.2 residential standards was similar to that followed for ASHRAE Standard 90.1. This
section summarizes the cool-roof analysis performed for ASHRAE Standard 90.2
Cool-roof credits
ASHRAE Standard 90.2-2004 permits both prescriptive and performance (“energy cost
budget”) compliance. The standard includes two form of credits for a cool roof, defined as
a roof with (a) a minimum initial solar reflectance of 0.65 and a minimum thermal emittance
of 0.75, and/or (b) a solar reflectance index (SRI) of at least 75 calculated under the
medium wind-speed conditions specified by ASTM Standard E1980: Standard Practice for
Calculating Solar Reflectance Index of Horizontal and Low-Sloped Opaque Surfaces
(ASTM 1998). SRI is a relative index of the steady-state temperature of a roof’s surface on
a typical summer afternoon. SRI is defined to be zero for a clean black roof (solar
reflectance 0.05, thermal emittance 0.90) and 100 for a clean white roof (solar reflectance
0.80, thermal emittance 0.90). Thus, warm surfaces have low SRI, and cool surfaces have
high SRI.
Codes
There is an energy code in India which is the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC).
In this code, there is mention of cool roof and its testing standard. When the project follows
the prescriptive method, it is necessary for the project to use a high reflective roof. The
code follows using high reflectivity in energy simulation when the project takes the whole
building performance method. The code does not specify the cool roof requirements based
on the climatic region but as whole specifies the requirements of a cool roof.
Thermal insulation (U value) plays major role in curbing heat transfer in building fabric. U
value shall be determined for the overall fenestration product in accordance with
ISO-15099 by an accredited independent laboratory, and labelled or certified by the
manufacturer. U-factors shall be calculated for the opaque construction in accordance with
ISO-6946. Buildings have been classified in three categories namely ECBC compliant,
ECBC + compliant and Super ECBC compliant buildings. Separate, standards for thermal
conductance (U Values) are prescribed for different climatic zones and different building
typologies with sometimes built up area limits specified. Also it is mandatory for all roofs

COOL ROOF DESIGN 37

that are not covered by solar photovoltaics, or solar hot water, or any other renewable
energy system, or utilities and services that render it unsuitable for the purpose, shall be
either cool roofs or vegetated roofs. Roofs with slopes less than 20 degrees shall have an
initial solar reflectance of no less than 0.70 and an initial emittance no less than 0.75.

Table 2.3: Roof Assembly U Factor for ECBC 2017 Compliant building

Table 2.4: Roof Assembly U Factor for ECBC+ 2017 compliant building

Table 2.5: Roof Assembly U Factor for Super ECBC 2017 Compliant building

Voluntary and Mandatory Programs

There are various building rating systems within India which include the cool roof as one of
the suggested measures for energy efficiency. They categorize cool roof as a credit for
buildings which are going to be certified green. Some of the rating systems and the
specifications or requirements related to cool roof as provided by them are:
IGBC Green Factory
SE Credit 6.0
Heat Island Effect on Factory Roof and Parking area (Page No: 24)
Goal
Reduce heat islands (thermal gradient differences between developed and undeveloped
areas) to minimize impact on the microclimate.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 38

Compliance Options
Roof
❖ Use high albedo roofing material or heat resistant paint or china mosaic or white
cement tiles or any other highly reflective materials over the roof to cover at least
50% of the exposed roof area.

Parking Areas
❖ Plant shade-giving trees to cover at least 75% of the open parking areas (or) install
permanent roof to cover 75% of the parking areas. In the event of installing a
permanent roof, it should meet the requirements for mitigation on the roof.
Approach and Methodologies
❖ Consider installing heat resistant paint and vegetated roofs to reduce the heat island
effect. Typical materials with high reflective properties include china mosaic, white
cement tiles, paints with high Solar Reflective Index (SRI) values etc.

Use roofing materials with a solar reflectance index (SRI) equal to or greater than the
values in the table below for a minimum of 75% of the roof surface. Roofing materials
having a lower SRI value than those listed below may be used if the weighted rooftop SRI
average meets the following criteria: Credit – Heat island effect: Roof

Area of Roof Meeting Minimum SRI x SRI of installed roof ≥75%

Total Roof Area Required SRI

Refers to Cool Roof Rating Council. Default value in IGBC

Roof Type Slope SRI
Low-sloped roof ≤ 2:12(15%) 78
Steep-sloped roof > 2.12(15%) 29

LEED Green Building Rating System

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating
System assigns one rating point for the use of a cool roof in its Sustainable Sites
Credit 7.2
❖ Heat Island effect: Roof (CS- Page: 80; NC-Page: 44)

COOL ROOF DESIGN 39

Intent:
❖ Reduce heat islands (thermal gradient differences between developed and
undeveloped areas) to minimize impact on microclimate and human and wildlife
habitat.
LEED Version 2.0 (2001):
❖ Cover at least 75% of its surface with materials that have initial and three-year-aged
solar reflectance of at least 0.65 and 0.50, respectively, and a thermal emittance of
at least 0.90
❖ Cover no less than 50% of its surface with vegetation (GBC 2001)
LEED Version 2.1 (2002):
❖ Cover at least 75% of its surface with Energy Star™ compliant products that also
have a thermal emittance of at least 0.90
❖ Cover no less than 50% of its surface covered by vegetation
❖ Cover at least 75% of its surface with a combination of these two materials (GBC
2002)
Compared to version 2.0, version 2.1 reduces the minimum initial solar reflectance required
for steep-sloped roofs (ratio of rise to run greater than 2:12) to 0.25 from 0.65, and the
minimum aged solar reflectance to 0.15 from 0.50.
LEED Version 2.2 (2005):
Uses SRI, rather than solar reflectance, thermal emittance, or Energy Star™ compliance,
to qualify a non-vegetated cool roof (GBC 2005)
❖ Cover at least 75% of its surface with products that have a minimum SRI of 78 (low-
sloped roofs) or 29 (steep-sloped roofs);
❖ Have at least 50% of its surface covered by vegetation;
❖ Use a combination of vegetation and high SRI materials that satisfy a particular
formula (GBC 2005).
A. The SRI requirements in the current version of LEED (v2.2) are about those
achieved by a low-sloped roof with a solar reflectance of 0.65 and a thermal
emittance of 0.90, and by a steep-sloped roof with a solar reflectance of 0.28 and a
thermal emittance of 0.90. (Since the SRI of this cool low-sloped surface is actually
78.9, we recommend that its required SRI be increased to 79 from 78).
B. The minimum thermal emittance requirement of 0.90 in versions 2.0 and 2.1 is
unnecessarily high, as most high-emittance materials have thermal emittances in
the range of 0.80 to 0.95. The LEED requirement of 0.90 tends to exclude many cool

COOL ROOF DESIGN 40

 materials, such as white roofs, whose thermal emittances may lie slightly below 0.90.
This issue is compounded by the high uncertainty (up to ±0.05) in measuring the
thermal emittance of thermally massive materials.

GRIHA
Criterion 5
❖ Reduce hard paving on-site and/or provide shaded hard pave surfaces (Page No:
23)
Objective:
To reduce hard paving on-site (open areas surrounding building premises) and/or provide
shade on hard-paved surfaces to minimize the heat island effect and imperviousness of
the site.
❖ Use light coloured, reflective roofs having an SRI (solar reflectance index) of 50%
or more. The dark coloured, traditional roofing finishes have SRI varying from 5% to
20%. A fine example of higher SRI is the use of broken china mosaic and light-
coloured tiles as roof finish, which reflects heat off the surface because of high solar
reflectivity, and infrared emittance, which prevents heat gain.
❖ Use commercially available, high solar reflective (albedo) roof coatings or heat
reflective paints on roofs that shade paved areas. Do not use stone mulches such
as fine gravel, crushed granite or pebbles in unplanted area immediately adjacent
to buildings, as they can heat up, reflect solar radiation inside, and also cause glare.
Use high albedo or reflective pavements to keep parking lots, pavements, and the
inside roads cool, because an increase in albedo of 0.1 decreases the pavement
temperature approximately by 8 deg F.
❖ Use light coloured aggregates or “white top” the pavements with a layer of cement
concrete, 50 mm thick. Stabilize the pavements with porous or permeable materials
such as sand, crushed bricks, broken mosaic tiles or stones where the soil is stable
or the traffic load is quite low. Recycled materials such as demolished concrete
(rubble), broken china, and mosaic tiles could also be used.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 41

REFERENCES:
2.1) Climate Zone Analysis
• Energy Conservation Building Code User Guide. Published By: Bureau of Energy
Efficiency, New Delhi. Developed by: USAID ECO-III Project, IRG, New Delhi.
Member of Development team. Accessible at:
http://www.beeindia.nic.in/schemes/documents/ecbc/eco3/ecbc/ECBC-User
Guide(Public).pdf

2.2) What is Cool Roof

• Cool Roof Rating Council. Accessible at: http://www.coolroofs.org/
• Annexure 3 – Passive Architecture Design Systems. Eco-housing Assessment
Criteria-Version-II. August 2009.

2.3) The Concept of the Cool Roof

• The Cool Colours project. Accessible at: http://coolcolors.lbl.gov/
• http://www.energycodes.gov/implement/pdfs/CountryReport_India.pdf

2.4) Structure Composition & Material Performance of the Cool Roof

• Haberl, J. S.; Cho, S. ―Literature Review of Uncertainty of Analysis Methods (Cool
Roofs). October 2004. Published by: Energy Systems Laboratory
(http://esl.tamu.edu),Texax A & M University. Accessible at:
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/2071
• Akbari, H. and R. Levinson. 2008. Evolution of cool roof standards in the United
States. Advances in Building Energy Research 2, 1-32.
• R. Tang, I. Meir, T. Wu, Thermal performance of non-air-conditioned buildings with
vaulted roofs in comparison with flat roofs, Build. Environ. 41 (3) (2006) 268–276.
• A.M. Coutts, E. Daly, J. Beringer, N.J. Tapper, Assessing practical measures to
reduce urban heat: green and cool roofs, Build. Environ. 70 (2013) 266–276.
• H. Suehrcke, E.L. Peterson, N. Selby, Effect of roof solar reflectance on the building
heat gain in a hot climate, Energy Build. 40 (12) (2008) 2224–2235.
• R. Levinson, P. Berdahl, A.A. Berhe, H. Akbari, Effects of soiling and cleaning on
the reflectance and solar heat gain of a light- colored roofing membrane, Atmos.
Environ. 39 (40) (2005) 7807–7824.
• H. Koch-Nielsen, Stay Cool: A Design Guide for the Built Environment in Hot
Climates James & James,London,2002.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 42

2.5) Energy Efficient Roofs
• H. Akbari, S. Bretz, D.M. Kurn, J. Hanford, Peak power and cooling energy savings
of high-albedo roofs, Energy Build.25(1997)117–126.
• A.M. Coutts, E. Daly, J. Beringer, N.J. Tapper, Assessing practical measures to
reduce urban heat: green and cool roofs, Build. Environ. 70 (2013) 266–276.
2.6) Codes, Voluntary & Mandatory Programmes in related to Cool Roof In India
• IGBC Green Homes Reference Guide
• National Building Code. Published by: Bureau of Indian Standards
• Energy Conservation Building Code. Published by: Bureau of Energy
Efficiency,Ministry of Power, Government of India
• ASHRAE. 1999. ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999: Energy Standard for Buildings
Except Low Rise Residential Buildings, SI Edition. Atlanta, GA: American Society of
Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
• ANSI/ASHRAE, Thermal environmental conditions for human occupancy, in:
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard55, ANSI/ASHRAE, Atlanta,2004.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 43

CHAPTER -3 COOL ROOF MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES

3.1) INTRODUCTION
❖ In India Roof Insulation with conventional materials like Foam Concrete, Mud Faska,
Brick Bat Coba has been practiced since ages. However, these products are quite
heavy and add dead load to the roof slab. Moreover, the thermal conductivity value
is very high which results into higher thickness application without much benefit.
These products have the tendency to develop cracks and as a result water
absorption takes place. Moreover, the products are open cell and porous type which
results into water absorption.
❖ A portion of the sun’s incident energy inevitably finds its way into the buildings on
which it falls. In the summer time, this unwanted heat energy causes discomfort and
requires the use of extra energy for air conditioning.
❖ Since the summertime sun rises high in the sky, the sun's radiant energy falls mainly
on the roof, with east and west walls of buildings also receiving a significant share.
(In the wintertime, the desirable solar flux falls mainly on the south facade.)
❖ The purpose of this Cool Roofing Materials Database is to assist with the selection
of roofing materials which reflect, or otherwise reject, the sun's radiant energy,
before it penetrates into the interior of the building.
❖ One of the best measures for keeping solar heat out of buildings is simply to use
reflective roofing materials.

❖ Then, the sun's radiant energy is simply reflected back toward the sky from which it
came. In fact, reflective materials also help keep the building's environment (i.e., the
city) cool, by reflecting solar energy back out into space.

❖ Fortunately, most roofing materials (excepting bare metals) have a high infrared
emittance. Also desirable is good convective heat transfer: as the roof heats in the
sun some of the heat can be carried away by the outside air. In some roofing
systems air can circulate underneath the outer roofing material (e.g., tile and wood
shake systems).

❖ While the Cool Roofing Materials Database focuses on the important issue of
keeping the building cool, one should not overlook the fact that the primary function
of a roof is to keep out all the elements of the weather! A roof must last for decades,
with minimal maintenance, and at a reasonable cost.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 44

 ❖ Factors which can shorten the lifetime of a roof include ultraviolet radiation from the
sun, freeze-thaw cycles, wind, rain, damage from foot traffic, biological growth,
chemical reactions with air pollutants, thermal expansion stresses due to
temperature changes, poor installation, etc.

❖ Thus, if a cooler material is inferior from a cost or lifetime point of view compared to
a warmer material, it's not a good deal. It's important to find a contractor or supplier
who has experience with the materials to be used, and who will stand behind the
quality of the work.

3.2) COOL ROOF PRODUCTS

The performance of 6 different cool roof products that are available in the market. Six
products that are widely available in the market were considered for installation. The
products that can installed on the terrace are:
❖ White Cement: Normal white cement which is generally available in any hardware
shops and is in use by several common users. It has been observed that several
products of this sort, which seem to have less life but are economical come into the
market every summer.
❖ White ceramic tiles – matt finish: Ceramic tiles in white are installed over one roof.
Though they seem to be less reflective when compared to the elastomeric reflective
coatings, they tend to have better life.
❖ White ceramic tiles – gloss finish: The gloss finish tile was assumed to reflect
more radiation. However, it is to be noted that it might cause a visual disturbance to
the people using the terrace or the people in surrounding buildings
❖ Reinforced aluminium foil - with solar reflectance value around 0.8.
❖ Acrylic resin coating - A water-based pure acrylic resin coating, which is a
combination of high Reflectance (82%) and high Emittance (94%).
❖ Modified acrylic water proofing coating - A waterproofing cum solar heat gain
reduction coating, with SRI of 100 (solar reflectance of 0.79 and emissivity of 0.982).

COOL ROOF DESIGN 45

 Figure 3.1: Cool roof installed Figure 3.2: Cool roof installed

Figure 3.3: Gloss tiles Figure 3.4: Matt tiles

Figure 3.5: Reinforced aluminium foil Figure 3.6: Modified acrylic coating

COOL ROOF DESIGN 46

3.3) COOL ROOF MATERIALS

Some of the roofing materials and choices of cool roof can be as below:

Table 3.1 Common roofing material in India

Cool roofing materials Cool Options Pay back

Cement roof White cement < 1 year

Tiles White/light colour tiles Negative to 1

Build-up roof White/light colour coatings 3-4 years

Metal roof White paint/coating <1

Mud house White wash roof More comfort

Cool roofs can be selected from a wide variety of materials and colours, and can be
advantageously applied to almost any building or roof type, and in most locations.
Moreover, cool roofs are a viable option for both new and existing building applications.

Table 3.2 Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) for typical roofing materials

COOL ROOF DESIGN 47

3.4) TYPES OF COOL ROOFS
Cool roofs fall into one of three categories:
➢ On the basis of Structure/ Masonry roofs
➢ On the basis of Reflective Roofing materials
➢ On the basis of Insulation materials

3.4.1) On the basis of Structure/ Masonry roofs

A) Masonry roofs
❖ Masonry houses with reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roofs are popular owing to
their pest (termite) resistance, natural calamity (cyclones) resistance, availability and
cost effectiveness of concrete ingredients.
❖ During tropical summers, they tend to exhibit unfavourable thermal characteristics
such as higher soffit temperature and longer heat retaining capacity that affect the
indoor air comfort conditions and increase energy costs.
❖ The indoor temperatures exceed 40◦C due to high roof temperatures of about 65 ◦C.
❖ Higher soffit temperatures make them emit long wavelength infrared radiation
towards the occupants. Even worse is that it might continue into the night due to the
heat capacity of the slab. Also, the absorbed heat may lead to cracks in the
supporting structure mainly made up of brick work or block work.
❖ This problem of high roof temperatures can be mitigated by employing roof shading,
cool roof coatings or compound roof systems.
❖ A compound roof system developed with a combination of radiation reflectors and
thermal insulation demonstrated substantial lowering of the heat conducted through
a concrete roof.

B) Ventilated and micro-ventilated roofs

❖ The ventilated roof systems are essentially two slabs delimiting a duct through which
air flows.
❖ This air gap/air flow diminishes the heat transfer across the roof into the building.
❖ Ventilated roofs can be either a passive type, with stack effect driving the air flow,
or an active type, with fan induced ventilation.
❖ They are more popular in hot climatic conditions and are particularly useful in
moderate height and wide roof area buildings.
❖ Depending on the size of the duct, the flow through it is either laminar or turbulent.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 48

❖ During cold winters, it is advisable to close the air duct using suitable dampers from
an energy savings standpoint.
❖ These dampers favour only a very small ventilation to drain off any possible
condensate in the duct.

C) Vaulted and domed roofs

❖ Vaulted and domed roofs are quite popular in the vernacular architecture where the
climatic conditions are hot and arid performed detailed finite element modelling of
both vaulted roof (VR) and flat roof to compare their thermal performance in various
climatic conditions.
❖ The half rim angle of a VR should be greater than 50 for it to show favourable
influence on the indoor thermal conditions.
❖ South–north orientation of VR is more advantageous than east–west orientation.
❖ Also, they are only suitable for hot and dry climates, due to the presence of larger
beam component of the solar radiation which is effectively reflected by the curved
roof surface, and not so much for hot and humid climates.
❖ Although VRs absorb more heat during the daytime than flat roofs, they also
dissipate more heat through natural convection and re-radiation.
❖ Also, during night times, typical desert climate experiences colder ambient
temperatures causing the VRs to dissipate heat even faster. High thermal
stratification occurs inside VR buildings, with almost 75% of the stratification taking
place in the volume under the vault, keeping the lower part of the building space
cool.
❖ The hot air can be exhausted near the top of the gable walls of vaults.

D) Flat roofs
❖ These can be monolithic slabs, sheets or space frame structures, or simple systems
using beams, girders and decking elements of low span capability.
❖ By definition, roofs with inclinations less than 10° to the horizontal are classified as
flat roofs. For rainwater run-off at least 2° slope is needed.
❖ Strong winds tend to pull off the roof by suction, hence flat roofs are less suitable for
hurricane prone areas.
❖ Flat roofs are most common in predominantly hot arid regions, with low annual
precipitation. The roofs provide additional living space (for household activities and
sleeping at night) and facilitate vertical extensions of the building.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 49

❖ Sheet decking must be laid in falls with large overlaps. An ingenious alternative to
corrugated sheets are canaletas (trough-shaped asbestos cement roofing elements)
which can span entire dwellings without supporting structures, thus saving material,
costs and lime of installation. A good material, in terms of strength and durability, is
asbestos cement, which most likely will not be used in developing countries in the
course of lime (because of the health hazards). Nevertheless, galvanized iron
canaletas (e.g. produced in Mexico) are a good alternative, and continued fibre
concrete research will hopefully bring forth an equally good alternative to asbestos
cement.
❖ Space frame roofs, consisting of three-dimensionally triangulated supporting
members, are especially suited for large span roofs. They have great lateral rigidity
and require only light roof decking.

E) Sloped roofs
❖ These can be single pitched, gabled and tripped roofs, either of monolithic slabs or
sheets or with a system of rafters, purling, trusses or space frames.
❖ Sloped roofs are more common in predominantly warm humid regions with
significant rainfall.
❖ Low pitches are cheaper, requiring less wall construction material and less roofing
material (smaller roof surface), but suction forces are strongest at 10° pitch. In
hurricane areas, minimum roof slopes should be 30° (about 1: 1.7 or 58 %) and wide
overhangs (needed for shading and rain protection) should be avoided.
❖ Gabled roofs leave end walls exposed; tripped roofs protect all walls, save on wall
area and costs, are less susceptible to wind damage, but are more difficult to
construct.
❖ Roofs of courtyard houses should slope inwards for better indoor climate and to
facilitate rainwater collection.
❖ Although roof slopes are often given in degrees, angles are difficult to measure out
on the site. Therefore, roof slopes should be expressed in simple relations between
height and span (e.g. 1: 1; 1: 2.5; 1: 10), preferably in round numbers.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 50

F) Curved roofs
❖ These include vaults, domes, bow-string or shell structures, lightweight tensile roofs
and a variety of more sophisticated types.
❖ Vaults and dome-shaped roofs are common in hot dry climates: the curved surface
area being considerably larger than the base, receives less solar heat per unit area,
thus lowering surface temperatures and facilitating reradiation after sunset.
However, the acoustics inside domes can be very unsatisfactory.
❖ Masonry vaults and domes are likely to fail in earthquakes, while bow-string and
concrete shell structures can easily withstand such hazards.
❖ Tensile roofs, using a system of tough membranes on cables or ropes, can cover
wide spans, are relatively economical, but aerodynamically unstable with light deck,
and are therefore generally used for temporary structures.

G) Roofs for Warm Humid Climates

❖ Sloped roofs with wide overhanging eaves are ideal to facilitate rapid rainwater run-
off and to protect and shade outer walls and openings. Horizontal valley and internal
gutters should be avoided, as these accumulate dirt and water.
❖ Flat roofs with good drainage are common in composite and upland climates with
warm dry seasons, which permit activities and sleeping on roofs.
❖ Primary requirements for roofing materials (supporting structure and cladding): low
thermal capacity (to avoid heat build-up, which cannot be dissipated at night, since
there is no temperature drop); resistance to rain penetration, yet permeable enough
to absorb moisture (eg water vapour, condensation) and release it when the air is
drier; resistance to fungus, insects, rodents and solar radiation; good reflectivity (to
reduce heat load and thermal movements); resistance to impact (hailstones,
dropping coconuts, vandalism, etc.); resistance to temperature and moisture
fluctuations; freedom from toxic materials (especially if rainwater is collected from
roofs).
❖ Ventilated (double-layered) roofs are most effective in providing good indoor living
conditions: the outer layer shades the inner building enclosure (reducing heat
accumulation); any heat that builds up between the two layers is carried away by
cross-ventilation; the difference between temperatures in the building interior and
the ventilated air space is not so large as to cause condensation problems; any rain
or moisture that penetrates through or develops beneath the outer skin evaporates

COOL ROOF DESIGN 51

 or drips along the inner surface to the eaves, so that the inner roof layer remains
unaffected.
❖ Waterproofing with an impermeable membrane can be unsuitable, since water
vapour cannot escape and causes condensation.
❖ Insulating materials prevent release of heat during nights.
❖ Openings at the ridge (sloped roofs), or just below the suspended ceiling or flat roof,
help to discharge accumulated heat.
❖ Measures for sound absorption should be considered, as tropical downpours can
cause unbearable noise.

3.4.2) On the basis of reflective roofing materials

A) Membrane cool roofs
❖ White thermoplastic membrane roofs, are inherently reflective, achieving some of
the highest reflectance and emittance measurements of which roofing materials are
capable.
❖ A roof made of white thermoplastic, for example, can reflect 80 percent or more of
the sun’s rays and emit at least 70% of the solar radiation that the roof absorbs. An
asphalt roof only reflects between 6 and 26% of solar radiation.
❖ Roofing membranes are fabricated from strong, flexible, waterproof materials. They
may be applied in multiple layers, as in the venerable Built-Up Roof (BUR), or they
may consist of a single-ply membrane.
❖ Membranes usually contain a fabric made from felt, fiberglass, or polyester, for
strength, which is laminated to or impregnated with a flexible polymeric material.
❖ The polymeric material may range from bituminous hydrocarbon materials such as
asphalt, to synthetic rubber known as EPDM, to synthetic polymers such as polyvinyl
chloride (PVC).
❖ The colour of the polymer itself ranges from black to white, often depending on the
amount of carbon black present. The upper surface of the membrane may be coated
with a pigmented material which determines the colour and solar reflectance, or it
may simply be ballasted with roofing gravel.
❖ When a dark membrane is surfaced with roofing granules, the membrane has the
appearance (and solar reflectance) of asphalt shingles.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 52

B) Coated cool roofs
❖ An existing (or new) roof can be made reflective by applying a solar reflective coating
to its surface.
❖ The reflectivity and emissivity ratings for over 500 reflective coatings can be found
in the Cool Roofs Rating Council.
❖ Roof Coatings can be divided into two categories: field-applied and factory applied.
Field applied coatings are applied directly onto the roof surface, either on a new roof
assembly or even on existing roof surface and may require an appropriate primer.
❖ Factory applied coatings are applied directly to products at the factory prior to
distribution.
❖ Examples of factory applied coatings include coating applied to metals, glazes and
are applied to tiles. Specialized white elastomeric coatings are available for low
sloped products and cool colour polymer coatings are available for tiles-these can
be sprayed on existing roofs.
❖ The white pigment in coatings is typically titanium dioxide. Once applied, the coating
is what determines the reflective properties of the roofing product.
❖ White roof coatings contain transparent polymeric materials, such as acrylic, and a
white pigment, such as titanium dioxide (rutile), to make them opaque and reflective.
Other white pigments sometimes used are the anatase form of titanium dioxide, and
zinc oxide.
❖ These coatings typically reflect 70 to 80 % of the sun's energy. Despite the white
appearance, these pigments strongly absorb the 5 % or so of the sun's energy which
falls in the ultraviolet. Thus, the pigments help protect the polymer material and the
substrate underneath from UV damage.
❖ These coatings are applied in thicknesses considerably greater than typical white
paints, ranging up to about 1 mm. The substrate must be clean and compatible with
the coating system. The achievement of the very highest reflectance values requires
sufficient pigment and a smooth substrate. If the substrate is already light in colour,
it can be made highly reflective with less pigment (fewer coats).
❖ To help maintain the high reflectance of a freshly applied white coating, several
issues are important. A completely horizonal roof, with ponding water after rain, is
likely to become quickly soiled, with a corresponding loss in reflectance. Of course,
it is also very likely to fail by leaking! A mildewcide additive can retard biological
growth with its resulting stains. There is some variation in how tightly dirt adheres to
coatings.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 53

C) Broken China Mosaic Terracing
❖ Well-graded broken pieces of glossy glazed tiles provide an inexpensive and
conducive cool roofing option.
❖ Broken pieces of glazed tiles (preferably white) are embedded in wet mortar to
provide a smooth surface that does not undulate. The joints are then grouted using
cement mortar with waterproofing material.

D) Modified Bitumen
❖ Modified bitumen is bitumen (asphalt or tar) modified with plastic and layered with
reinforcing materials then topped with a surfacing material. The radiative properties
of modified bitumen are determined by the surfacing material, so a cool modified
bitumen product will be finished off with a cap sheet or coating to achieve a high
solar reflectance. Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC)
❖ The ubiquitous roofing solution for Delhi, RCC roof is extensively used in both
residential and commercial buildings, and for low- and high-rise structures. These
roofs may be topped with elastomeric cool roof coatings or simply finished with
broken white glazed tiles.

E) Slate or Tile
❖ These roofing products are commonly used for residential buildings, or steeper-
sloped buildings, and increasingly, for commercial buildings. Slate and tile products
are available with solar-reflective surfaces that offer a wide range of cool colours.
❖ Additionally, the dense, earthen composition of slate and tile products provides
increased thermal mass, yielding additional energy savings not realized through
solar reflectance and thermal emittance measures alone.
❖ Concrete and clay tiles may be obtained in white, increasing the solar reflectance to
about 70 percent (compared to the 20-30 percent range for red tile).
❖ Roofing tiles can be ceramic (e.g., clay fired at a high temperature) or fabricated
from cement concrete. Some of the lighter types use fibres (e.g., cellulose) added
for strength. The colour of a tile may be dispersed throughout, or it may be applied
in the form of a coating. Perhaps the most venerable type of roof tile is the Spanish
style red barrel tile made from fired clay. The modern version of this tile is sometimes
a cement tile with a suitable coating. In either case, the red colour is due to the
ubiquitous iron oxide material.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 54

❖ Roofing tiles are available in a wide range of colours; more data on the solar
reflectance properties is needed. A starting point for the estimation of the solar
reflectance would be to use the reflectance of a paint coating of similar colour.
❖ Advantages of tile include fire safety, as they are non-combustible, and durability.
Disadvantages include increased weight and cost compared with low-cost asphalt
shingle roofs.
❖ Tile roofs often have enhanced air circulation compared to other roofing types
because ambient air can circulate below as well as above the tile. (Wood roofs also
have provision for air circulation below the roof, to make sure they always remain
dry.) This enhanced air circulation helps the roof shed solar heat more readily. The
temperature rise figures in the table below are conservative in the sense that we
have not attempted to account for this uncertain benefit of enhanced convection.

F) Metal
❖ These roof systems typically are available in white, which raises their solar
reflectance to about 65 percent.
❖ Unpainted metal should be covered with a white coating to increase its emittance.
❖ Metal roofing products can be shaped to look like tiles, or to fit unique curvatures, in
addition to a typical standing seam configuration.
❖ They come in a variety of factory-applied textures and colours, including darker cool
colours with infrared reflective pigments.
❖ Metal products can also be coated in cool custom colours to meet a variety of client
preferences.
❖ Metal roofing is mostly steel or aluminium, although copper and other metals are
sometimes used. Steel is invariably galvanized by the application of a zinc or
zinc/aluminium coating, which greatly reduces the rate of corrosion. As may be seen
from the table, bare aluminium and steel may have a solar reflectance of roughly
60%, and a low emittance.
❖ The reflectance and emittance of bare metals are very sensitive to the smoothness
of the surface and the presence or absence of surface oxides, oil film, etc. Usually,
bare metals are not very cool in the sun. For example, in one outdoor experiment
(LBNL1), a bare clean sheet of galvanized steel with a solar reflectance of about
0.38 reached temperatures nearly as high as a reference black surface.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 55

❖ Metal roofing is available with pigmented polymeric coatings, similar to paint, that
are factory applied. These coatings are used to protect the metal panels, and for
appearance's sake; they can also keep the roof cooler. Even a thin white coating
"hides" the low emittance of the metal underneath, and produces a solar reflectance
nearly as high as the thicker white coatings applied on site.

G) Cool Colours
❖ Technology has enabled the increase of the reflectance of a material by selectively
increasing reflectance of non-visible radiation, without altering the reflectance of the
visible part of the spectrum. It is now possible that two identical looking products
may vary significantly in terms of thermal reflectance.
❖ 'Cool colour' roofing materials are created by integrating pigments that reflect
infrared energy, even though their colour may still absorb some of the visible
spectrum. In this way, roofing products can be both 'cool' and dark coloured.
❖ This type of infrared reflective pigment has been used in conjunction with a variety
of product types, including metal, tile, and coatings, thus broadening the scope of
cool roof applicability.
❖ While the energy savings of a dark coloured cool roof will not be equivalent to that
of a white or lighter coloured roof, it will deliver more energy savings than its
traditional non-cool counterpart.
❖ Cool roofs can be selected from a wide variety of materials and colours, and can be
advantageously applied to almost any building or roof type, and in most locations.
❖ Moreover, cool roofs are a viable option for both new and existing building
applications. However, the extent of the benefits will correlate to the location of the
building (i.e., climate), type and use, as well as to the specific thermal properties of
the selected roofing product.
❖ For new buildings, the incremental cost of adding cool roofs is minimal, or, at times,
none.
❖ For existing buildings too, the additional expenses may be insignificant if the retrofit
is properly integrated with the re- roofing schedule.
❖ Conventional materials for standard roofing are now available with their cool roof
counterparts. White roofs are characterized by a high SRI.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 56

H) Aging and Maintenance
❖ Roofs are exposed to fluctuating weather conditions, solar radiation, and pollution.
This may lower the solar reflectance of cool roofing materials.
❖ Studies have indicated that roof surfaces with undulations and low-slopes are more
susceptible to lowered reflectivity due dirt accumulation compared to surfaces that
are smooth and have high gradients.
❖ Owing to their smooth surfaces, metal, concrete, and clay roof tiles should have less
than 20 percent degradation.
❖ Specialized cool roof coatings tend to self-clean with sun, rain, and proper drainage
and extend service life of underlying roof membrane, but may require re-coating
approximately every 5 to 10 years, depending on warranty.
❖ The building owner should require a warranty stating that after five years the cool
material will remain in place and retain at least 70 percent of its initial reflectivity.
❖ Standard maintenance practices as suggested by the roofing manufacturer will keep
the cool roof 'cool' for a longer time.

I) Lightweight roofs
❖ Lightweight aluminium standing seam roofing systems (LASRS) are popularly used
on commercial and government buildings as they are economical. However, they
are wind sensitive due to weak seam-clip connection and also have bad thermal
characteristics.
❖ Two easy ways to improve thermal characteristics of these roofs are by adding
thermal insulation and using light coloured roof paint.
❖ It was determined that the lighter coloured surfaces such as white, off-white, brown
and green yielded 9.3%, 8.8%, 2.5% and 1.3% reduction in cooling loads compared
to a black-painted LASRS surface.
❖ The LASRS with glass fiber insulation does not suit well for hot and humid climates
due to the interstitial condensation in the glass fiber layer.
❖ Alternative thermal insulation materials such as polyurethane, polystyrene or a
combination of these have been evaluated.
❖ These roofing systems, modelled and tested on an indoor stadium with a large roof
surface area of 51m×41m, indicated that roof structure with polyurethane insulation
and white painted top surface performed better and saved 53.8% of the peak cooling
load compared to a dark painted roof with glass wool insulation. This can be

COOL ROOF DESIGN 57

 attributed to the low thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of the polyurethane
material and higher reflectivity of light-coloured roof surface.

J) Solar-reflective/cool roofs
❖ Solar-reflective roofs or cool roofs are high solar reflectance and high infrared
emittance roofs. They maintain lower roof surface temperature and inhibit the heat
conduction into the building.
❖ Two surface properties that affect the thermal performance of these roof surfaces
are solar reflectance (SR) (reflectivity or albedo) and infrared emittance (or
emissivity).
❖ Conventional roofing materials have a SR of 0.05–0.25.
❖ Reflective roof coatings can increase the SR to more than 0.60.
❖ Most roofing materials have an infrared emittance of 0.85 or higher, with the
exception of metals, which have a low infrared emittance of about 0.25.
❖ Therefore, even though metals are very reflective (i.e. SR greater than 0.60), bare
metal roofs and metallic roof coatings tend to get hot since they cannot emit the
absorbed heat effectively as radiation.
❖ Special roof coatings can raise the infrared emittance of bare metal roofs.
❖ By increasing SR or infrared emittance, the roof surface temperature can be
lowered.
❖ A white elastomeric coating or aluminium coating can raise the SR value more than
0.50.

K) Photovoltaic roofs
❖ There have been significant efforts in recent years in integrating photovoltaics (PV)
into building envelope.
❖ Especially, in countries where land-use is an important constraint, Building
Integrated PV (BIPV) offer an effective solution by the use of building surface area
while facilitating energy production and building envelope weather protection.
❖ PV roof tiles replace roofing material and are installed directly on to the roof
structure.
❖ Ceramic tiles or fiber cement roof slates have crystalline silicon solar cells glued
directly on them.
❖ Another type of roof-integrated system has a PV element (glass-glass laminate)
positioned in a plastic supporting tray anchored to the roof.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 58

 ❖ Due to low cost and physical flexibility there has been growing interest in thin film
PV for BIPV applications.
❖ Other types of PV roofs include sandwich PV roofing which offers multi-functionality
such as electricity generation and thermal insulation.
❖ Photovoltaic module-based roof systems are still widely installed on sloped or flat
roofs. They are either fixed directly on a weather-proof membrane with the help of
aluminium framing system with drain trays or retrofit on top of the existing tiles.
❖ The generally guaranteed life span of these structures is around 30 years.

3.4.3) On the basis of Insulation materials

A) Thermal roof insulation systems
❖ The thermal insulation for roofs has been of growing importance lately, because on
an average as much as 60% of the thermal energy leakage occurs through the roofs.
❖ Roof insulation has the potential for saving both cooling and heating loads.
❖ The transmittive barrier is a term often used to refer thermal insulation. When
accompanied by a reflective surface (viz. an aluminium foil backing), it is referred to
as radiant-transmittive barrier as it can also reflect infrared radiation.
❖ Polystyrene, fiberglass, rockwool/mineral-wool are commonly used as roof
insulation. Polystyrene or polyurethane insulation layers have the capability of
reducing the load by more than 50% when compared to an identical building roof
without insulation.
❖ Laboratory experiments have been carried out on different configurations of roofing
systems fabricated from five different kinds of insulating materials – polyurethane,
polystyrene, polyethylene, sand and rubber along with two different reflector material
– aluminium 1100-H14 and galvanized steel sheets.
❖ Substantial reduction of heat flux through the roof, as high as up to 88%, is recorded
for a combination of flat aluminium 1100 reflector and polyurethane insulator type
concrete roof.
❖ The general results suggest that aluminium 1100-H14 is a better reflector than
galvanized steel.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 59

 Figure 3.7: Radiant-transmittive barrier Figure 3.8: Roof insulation system

Polyurethane and polystyrene performed better than other insulating materials. The
geometry of the reflector seemed to have negligible effect unless there is forced convection.
A roof insulation system was tested on an occupied building in the tropical climate of Sri
Lanka. The insulation used was expanded cellular polyethylene (thermal conductivity –
0.034 W/m2 K). It was observed that an insulation thickness of 25 mm resulted in a soffit
temperature reduction of at least 10◦C
Over deck Insulation
In this system a thermal barrier or insulation is provided over the RCC, so that the heat of
the sun is not allowed to reach the RCC slab of the roof at all. In this way we can preserve
the RCC from getting heated up Once the RCC is heated up there is no other way for the
heat to escape other than inside the building So ever though the thermal barrier is provided
under the RCC, as in underdeck insulation, some heat passes through it and heats up the
ambience of the room. This decreases the comfort level of the room and if the building is
centrally AC, increases the AC load Hence we can safely conclude that overdeck insulation
has its own advantages over underdeck insulation. Overdeck Insulation material should
have adequate compression resistance, low water absorption, resistance to high ambient
temp. and low thermal conductivity. Overdeck insulation applications are carried out by
either –
• Preformed insulation materials
• In-situ application
A) Preformed insulation material:
Preformed Insulation material are further classified as under:
• Expanded Polystyrene slabs
• Extruded Polystyrene slab
• Polyurethane / Polyisocyanurate slabs

COOL ROOF DESIGN 60

• Perlite boads
i) Expanded polystyrene (EPS, Thermocol)- is a lightweight cellular plastic foam
material composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms. It is derived from petroleum
and natural gas by products. Molded EPS does not involve the use of CFCs.
Polystyrene is highly economical EPS meets most of the performance.
ii) Extruded Polystrene - Extruded Polystyrene is an improvement of Expanded
Polystyrene material. This material is also comprise of beads / globules which
are compressed to form slabs and pipe sections. In case of Extruded Polystyrene
the beads are very closely linked to each other so that the material become rigid
and there is no air gap between the beads. It is a close cells material and a skin
is formed on the top which stops water absorption.
iii) Polyisocyanurate / Polyurethane foam slab – These are urethane foam
insulation materials having low thermal conductivity, low smoke emission & low
water absorption. The product confirms to IS:12436 & BS 5608.
iv) Perlite – Perlite insulation is an organic rigid board insulation. It is composed of
expanded volcanic glass and wood fibres bonded with asphaltic binders. This
makes a rigid board light in weight, dimensionally stable and good in
compressive strength. In western countries at one time perlite was most common
insulation material used for roof insulation. Although still popular, its low = ‘R’
value, high = ‘K’ value and tendency to absorb moisture have lessened its
popularity.
The application procedure for overdeck insulation featuring preformed insulants are:
• Cleaning of the roof surface to be free of dirt and loose particles
• Providing a primer and adhesive coat
• Adhering of insulation with adhesive, taking care to seal all the joints between
insulation also with a sealant.
• Providing a protective plaster layer with reinforcement
• Providing an elastomeric membrane or felt type waterproofing treatment on top.

B) Insitu Technology
(i) Spray applied Polyurethane:
Unlike preformed materials, this is applied directly over the roof by spraying. This eliminates
separate fixing procedure. It is formed spontaneously when Isocyanate and Polyol are
mixed in the presence of a blowing agent to create close cell homogenous jointless
insulation cover of the roof. It is designed to combine highly efficient thermal insulation with

COOL ROOF DESIGN 61

great ease of application It is ideal for a wide range of insulation application particularly for
roofs and walls of the building. By nature liquid applied foam polyurethane adheres strongly
to almost any surface regardless of form. The seamless and monolithic nature of spray
foam provides a full proof method of sealing cracks and rendering any surface moisture
resistance and drought proof. The excellent adhesion of the sprayed material makes
mechanical fastening redundant. The comparatively low density of material adds little
weight to overall loading. Besides external use, sprayed foam can be applied internally as
well. (The foam can also be sprayed on the underside of roofs and suspended floors and
on inner surface of walls).
Insulation
The first set of mandatory requirements addresses the proper installation and protection of
insulation materials. It is recommended that insulation materials be installed according to
the manufacturer recommendations and in a manner that will achieve the rated insulation
R-value. Compressing the insulation reduces the effective R-value and the thermal
performance of the construction assembly.
Substantial Contact
It is recommended that insulation be installed in a permanent manner and in substantial
contact with the inside surface of the construction assembly. If the insulation does not
entirely fill the cavity, the air gap should be on the outside surface. Maintaining substantial
contact is particularly important (and problematic) for batt insulation installed between floor
joists. Without proper support, gravity will cause the insulation to fall away from the floor
surface, leaving an air gap above the insulation. Air currents will ultimately find their way to
the gap, and when they do, the effectiveness of the insulation will be substantially reduced.
Insulation above Suspended Ceilings
It is not good practice to install insulation directly over suspended ceilings with removable
ceiling panels. This is because the insulation continuity is likely to be disturbed by
maintenance workers. Also, suspended ceilings may not meet the ECBC infiltration
requirements unless they are properly sealed. Compliance with this requirement could
have a significant impact in some parts of the country, as it is common practice to install
insulation over suspended ceilings. Many building codes will consider the space above the
ceiling to be an attic and require that it be ventilated to the exterior.
If vented to the exterior, air in the attic could be quite cold (or hot) and the impact of the
leaky suspended ceiling would be made worse.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 62

Insulation Protection
It is strongly recommended that insulation be protected from sunlight, moisture,
landscaping equipment, wind, and other physical damage. Rigid insulation used at the slab
perimeter of the building should be covered to prevent damage from gardening or
landscaping equipment. Rigid insulation used on the exterior of walls and roofs should be
protected by a permanent waterproof membrane or exterior finish. In general, a prudent
designer should pay attention to moisture migration in all building construction. Vapor
retarders prevent moisture from condensing within walls, roofs, or floors but care should
be taken to install them on the correct side (warmer or cooler side) of the walls and roofs
to prevent water damage. Water condensation can damage the building structure and can
seriously degrade the performance of building insulation and create many other problems
such as mold and mildew. The designer should evaluate the thermal and moisture
conditions that might contribute to condensation and make sure that vapor retarders are
correctly installed to prevent condensation. In addition to correctly installing a vapor
retarder, it is important to provide adequate ventilation of spaces where moisture can build
up.

Figure 3.9: Insulation above Suspended Ceilings

COOL ROOF DESIGN 63

 B) Evaporative roof cooling
❖ In evaporative roof cooling, latent heat of evaporation is used to cool a building roof.
❖ There are different types of evaporative cooling methods. The techniques that are
appropriate for tropical climates are roof ponds and wetted burlap bag covers.
❖ A roof pond is a shallow pool of water over a flat roof top with fixed side thermal
insulations and a movable top thermal insulation.
❖ In summer, the top movable insulation covers the pond during daytime protecting it
from solar radiation and exposes it to the environment during the night for nocturnal
cooling of the water.
❖ In winters, the process happens vice versa, i.e. closed pond during the night and
exposed pond during the day.
❖ The use of roof pond can lower the room temperature by about 20◦C in summer.
❖ Wetted burlap bags are water-soaked jute bags that are laid on roof tops to provide
evaporative cooling, especially in regions with hot and arid weather.
❖ Although the roof temperature can be lowered by as much as 15◦C, these methods
suffer from non-availability of water.

Figure 3.10: Evapo-reflective roof cooling system

A proposed evapo-reflective roof system consists of high thermal capacity rock bed in water
over the concrete roof ceiling, a reflective aluminium sheet that encloses on the top and an
air gap between the water surface and the aluminium reflector. A simulated comparison
suggests that this evapo-reflective roof can reduce the indoor temperature by up to 8◦C in
comparison to a bare concrete roof.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 64

Table 3.3: Relative Thermal Advantages of Materials of Roofs Used

S.No. Construction Materials of Relative Thermal Advantage of roof

Roof in Households category

1. Grass/Thatch/Bamboo/ These materials do not as such qualify to be

Wood/Mud/Plastic/Polythene useful for any additional thermal advantages of
any of 3 cool roof categories. In practice, such
roofs are also devoid of any evapo-
transpiration advantage of green roofs.
2. Tiles (Hand and Machine The kind of tiles used in rural set up are both
made) hard to work on with coatings. If used
somehow, the maintenance would be costly
and advantage feeble. Thus, Tiles as roof
material also do not as such qualify to be useful
for any additional thermal advantages of any of
3 cool roof categories.
3. G.I./Metal/Asbestos sheets Readily qualify to be useful for coated cool
roof category.

4. Concrete Readily qualify to be useful for cool roofs.

5. Any other material (Burnt Some of these materials qualify to be useful

Brick, for cool roofs.
Stone/Slate, Other materials)

3.5) BENEFITS OF COOL ROOFS

Cool roofs provide numerous benefits at the micro level as well as the community level.
Cool roofs conserve energy and enhance thermal comfort because the interior of a building
is subject to less thermal flux. They assist in mitigating the urban heat island effect, and
when installed comprehensively, can result in lowered ambient air temperatures on an
urban scale.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 65

Substituting a cool roof for a warm roof reduces conduction of heat into the
building, convection of heat into the outside air, and thermal radiation of heat into the
atmosphere. This benefits our buildings, our cities, and our planet.

❖ Cooler outside air. Cool roofs lower urban air temperatures by reducing the amount
of heat transferred from roofs to the air, mitigating the urban heat island effect.
❖ Fewer power plant emissions. Reflective roofs reduce cooling energy demand in
airconditioned buildings, decreasing emissions of greenhouse gases and other air
pollutants at power plants that burn fossil fuels.
❖ Better air quality. Cool roofs decrease urban air temperatures and thus slow the
formation of ground level ozone. Ozone, the primary component of smog, can
aggravate respiratory illness and can act as a greenhouse gas.
❖ Slowed climate change. Cool roofs decrease heat absorbed at the Earth's surface
and thus can lower surface temperatures. This decrease in surface temperatures
reduces the flow of heat into the atmosphere, offsetting warming caused by
greenhouse gases.
❖ Energy and cost savings. During hot summer months, cool roofs reduce the need
for cooling in airconditioned buildings, which saves energy and money.
❖ Reduced electrical grid strain. The diminished demand for cooling energy will also
moderate peak energy demand during heat waves and very hot summer afternoons,
thereby decreasing the risk of power outages.
❖ Improved indoor comfort. Cool roofs lower the indoor air temperature in buildings
that do not have air conditioning, promoting productivity and occupant health.

3.5.1 Building Level Benefits

❖ Cool roofs reduce both the energy use and energy demand of a building. During the
cooling season, cool roofs reduce heat conduction through the roof during the day,
and hence reduce air-conditioning energy use.
❖ During sunny cold winter days, however, cool roofs may cause a marginal increase
in heating energy consumption. In Delhi and other composite climate zones,
potential heating penalties are a small fraction of cooling-energy savings due to the
long cooling seasons and short heating seasons.
❖ Moreover, buildings require cooling during the summer season, especially during
daytime when the incident solar radiation is intense (and therefore when cool roofs
are most effective), while heating is needed during the early morning hours during
winters when there is little or no solar radiation present (and therefore when cool

COOL ROOF DESIGN 66

 roofs are marginally effective or ineffective).
❖ Thus, cool roofs are very effective in reducing the summer electricity use with
minimal impact on winter heating. In general, savings in annual net utility costs can
be expected for most buildings.
❖ Most HVAC systems are designed to meet the cooling loads during peak summer
conditions. Cool roofs reduce the peak cooling load and consequently, the system
size required to meet this load.
❖ As a major portion of the energy savings due to cool roofs is realized during peak
hours (when the electricity demand is the highest), its application assumes even
more significance as a tool to reduce energy demand.
❖ Research has shown that cool roofs also help increase the life expectancy of roofing
systems because extreme cycles of heating and cooling tend to wear out materials
as they expand and contract with the temperature.
❖ Cool roofs on the other hand, keep the roof a more constant temperature and
therefore, tend to last longer.
3.5.2 Neighbourhood and City Level Benefits
❖ By reflecting the incident solar radiation back into the atmosphere and reemitting the
absorbed portion of the incident radiation as infrared radiation, cool roofs result in
cooler air temperatures for the surrounding urban environment during hot summer
months.
❖ With lower daytime ambient temperatures, buildings and vehicles are confronted by
a smaller temperature differential – leading to additional energy savings and
subsequently a reduction in harmful emissions from power plants.
❖ While reducing ambient air temperatures, cool roofs also improve air quality by
curtailing or eliminating smog formation. Smog is created by photochemical
reactions of air pollutants - higher temperatures provide impetus to these reactions.
Improved air quality also results in a reduction in heat-related and smog-related
health issues, including heat stroke and asthma.

3.6) CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS OF ROOFS

Roof is one of the most elements of building, which its failure has effect on other elements
elsewhere within the building. It can be categorized into three main categories:
• Sloped roofs
• Flat roofs
• Low-sloped roofs

COOL ROOF DESIGN 67

Generally, problems in roofs could be categorized as thermal movement, damp penetration
and interstitial condensation and UV defect.

Figure 3.11: Damp Problems in Pitched Roofs

A) Sloped roofs
❖ In case of sloped roofs, one of the most important defects is the effect of damp
penetration.
❖ Roof always faces with big difference in daytime and night time temperature.
❖ So, if there is a failure in preventing damp penetration both the roof itself and
adjoining elements of construction may be affected.
❖ Whenever a low-sloped roof, three different types of roof have to be taken into
consideration. Those are cold roof, warm roof and reverse roof.
❖ In cold roof form, insulation takes place above the ceiling and between the joists.
Therefore, the gap above the insulation needs to be ventilated to avoid moisture
condensing.
❖ It should be noted that, it is necessary to install a vapor check on the warm side of
the insulation.

Figure 3.12:Warm Roofs Insulation

❖ In warm roof or sandwich type, the insulation will be placed on the decking and
under the weatherproof covering. The reason to have this type of roof is to remain
in room temperature as it is warm than cold.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 68

 With this type of flat roof, the insulation is
installed above the weatherproof covering
which is placed on the decking. These
interstitial condensation problems in warm
roof construction can in theory be avoided
by providing an impermeable vapor barrier as close as possible to the ceiling to prevent
the humid air migrating into the roof structure.

Failure to take account of thermal movement

is a common cause of flat roofing problems.
Large areas of roof covering will tend to
expand or contract greatly in respect to
different temperature in day and night. The
expansion and contraction are mainly
depending on material expansion coefficient and external temperature. The thermal
movement cycle in the covering material (especially), or the underlying structure, may
subject the covering to unacceptable stresses. If the sheet sizes of the covering are not
controlled according to design and expansion details, the continual expansion and
contraction cycle at the end will result in failure. In addition to this, flat roof may be affected
by horizontal and vertical movement stress of building elements and an adjoining element
of construction. This will end up with buckling or rippling, stepping and splitting or cracking.
Interstitial condensation, which can affect flat roofs has been seen when the outside
temperature is low. Warm, moist internal air from the building passes through the roof
structure, as its pressure is higher than the cold external air. On meeting any colder air or
structure within the roof, the warm air condenses and the result will be appeared in the form
of damp at roof. There are other problems that are related to covering materials. So,
different parameters are involved in construction problems of roofs. Specifically, in hot
climates, thermal movement and interstitial condensation are most sources of problems.
The location of the thermal insulation materials towards the inner surface of the section
increased the performance. Inclined timber roof constructions on reinforced concrete
ceiling save the buildings from solar bombarding in summer. However, to prevent the
humidity accumulated, the attic space should be very well ventilated. On flat roofs, not only
the thermal resistance of the roof section, but also the light reflectance of outside surface

COOL ROOF DESIGN 69

materials affected the thermal performance. Outside surface materials with very high light
reflectance reduced heat gain in summer considerably. In buildings, which are air
conditioned in summer, there is condensation risk. The defects due to this condensation
can be avoided by the use of thermal insulation materials, which are not affected from
water. There is also condensation risk for winter. However, it was found that this
condensation could dry if the building is ventilated. In hot climates, because of large amount
of sunlight which contains lots of UV rays and even high temperature differential movement
will be occur in the building. This differential movement can be an initial step in order to
destroy structure of covering which results in leakage. In order to avoid defect caused by
thermal and differential movement or interstitial condensation, it is recommended to use
mastic asphalt with proper insulation material at the top, which is painted by bright reflective
colours. Also, ceilings or roofs should be insulated to at least R-30. If the house has an
unconditioned attic, we have to specify radiant-barrier roof sheathing. As mentioned, before
we have to use highly reflective roofing, white metal roofing or white concrete tile roofing.
In this case reflective foil insulation in the roof and walls is essential.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 70

REFERENCES
3.1) Introduction
• Cool Roofs for Cool Delhi: A Design Manual for Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE),
Government of Power, India (review team member).
• Kai L. Uemoto, Neide M.N. Sato,Vanderley M. John. ―Estimating thermal performance
of cool colored paints. Energy and Buildings 42 (2010) 17–22.

3.2) Cool Roof Products

• Haberl, J. S.; Cho, S. ―Literature Review of Uncertainty of Analysis Methods (Cool

Roofs). October 2004. Published by: Energy Systems Laboratory
(http://esl.tamu.edu), Texax A & M University. Accessible at:
(http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/2071)
• Craig Wray, Hashem Akbari. ―The effects of roof reflectance on air temperatures
surrounding a rooftop condensing unit‖. Energy and Buildings 40 (2008) 11–28
• Ronnen Levinsona, Paul Berdahl, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Hashem Akbari.
―Effects of soiling and cleaning on the reflectance and solar heat gain of a light-
colored roofing membrane. Atmospheric Environment 39 (2005) 7807–7824.
• Hildebrandt, E., W. Bos, and R. Moore. 1998. ―Assessing the Impacts of White
Roofs on Building Energy Loads. ASHRAE Technical Data Bulletin 14(2).
• Ronnen Levinsona, Hashem Akbaria, Joseph C. Reilly. ―Cooler tile-roofed
buildings with near-infrared-reflective non-white coatings‖. Building and
Environment 42 (2007) 2591–2605.

3.3) Cool Roof Materials

• An Analysis on the Changes in Residential Roof Construction in India (2001 to 2011)
For WinBuild, Inc. 11103 Redford Court, Fairfax, VA 22030

3.4) Types of Cool Roofs

• Hua L, Ma Z, Guo W. The impact of urbanization on air temperature across China.
Theoretical and Applied Climatology 2007;93(3e4):179e94. Springer. Retrieved
from, http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s00704-007-0339-8.
• Ojima T. Changing Tokyo metropolitan area and its heat island model. Energy and
Buildings 1990/1991;15e16:191e203.
• https://heatisland.lbl.gov/resources/roof-coatings

COOL ROOF DESIGN 71

 • An Analysis on the Changes in Residential Roof Construction in India (2001 to 2011)
For WinBuild, Inc. 11103 Redford Court, Fairfax, VA 22030
• https://heatisland.lbl.gov/coolscience
• https://www.go-gba.org/resources/green-building-methods/cool-roofs/
• http://rci-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2009-08-bludau-zirkelbach-
kunzel.pdf
• http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=118949
• www.iccsafe.org, see “adoptions by state”
• www.becap-energy.org, see “code adoption process”
• Akbari, H., C. Wray, T.T. Xu and R. Levinson. 2006. Inclusion of solar reflectance
and thermal emittance prescriptive requirements for steep-sloped nonresidential
roofs in Title 24. Online at
http://energy.ca.gov/title24/2008standards/documents/2006-05-
18_workshop/2006-0519_NONRESDNTL_STEEP-SLOPED_COOL_ROOFS.PDF

3.5) Benefits of Cool Roofs

• An Analysis on the Changes in Residential Roof Construction in India (2001 to 2011)
For WinBuild, Inc. 11103 Redford Court, Fairfax, VA 22030
• Kai L. Uemoto, Neide M.N. Sato,Vanderley M. John. ―Estimating thermal performance
of cool colored paints. Energy and Buildings 42 (2010) 17–22.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 72

CHAPTER -4 COOL ROOF DESIGN IN RAJASTHAN, INDIA

4.1) VERNACULAR COOL ROOF DESIGN

A) Lime Concrete Terracing

This type of terracing is commonly used over flag stone roofing, though it can also be used
R.C.C slab. The procedure of lime terracing varies from place to place. The one adopted
for Jodhpur stone slab roofing is described below, is steps:

• The longitudinal joints between the stone slabs are first pointed in cement mortar.
The joints should be negative shaped, not exceeding 25 mm at the top and 10mm
at the bottom. This joint is filled with cement mortar (mix 1:2 to 1:4) and picked
with stone chips of wedge shape and top finish rounded with cement mortar so as
to project little above the slabs. Before filling mortar in the joints, flat strips
of timber (or 3 inch dia. Bamboos) should be kept along the joint on the other face
of the stone slabs so that mortar does not fall down. Similarly, the space left over
the walls at the ends of the slabs and also the space on walls between the slabs
where roof is continuous should be filled with 1:2:4 cement concrete. These joints
should be properly cured, at least for 7 days.
• In order to provide proper slope to the roof, ralthal is laid. This is done by laying
stone spawls in 1:2 line mortars over the surface of the slabs in the required
thickness. Hydraulic lime (kankar lime) should be used. Ralthal so laid should be
cured for 7 days.
• Laying of the lime 73hat is done in four consecutive days. On the first day,
unslaked Kankar lime (hydraulic lime) 10 cm in thickness is spread over the roof
slabs. The lime is then slaked in situ, by adding water. It is then beaten with
conical stone so that no particles of lime remain unslaked to cause blisters.
• On the second day, the lime is watered, raked up and again the process of first
day is repeated.
• On the third day, 250 gm of hemp (finely chopped) and methi 750 gm finely
powdered per 10 sq metres is evenly and thoroughly mixed with the lime. Then
coarse stone aggregate duly washed should be spread over this lime in a
thickness not less than 10 cm.
• On the fourth day, stone grit or screening is spread in a layer of 40 mm and beaten
with stone beaters till they are well set. This process of beating should continue
with wooden thapies and by sprinkling water till the whole mass becomes stiff and

COOL ROOF DESIGN 73

 offers resistance to penetration. Thickness of lime 74hat should not be less than
15 cm at any place.
• The above work should be cured at least for 7 days.
• After seven days, sandal coat consisting of cream of lime is laid over the lime chat
in thin layers and rubbed for full four hours or more , using rounded pebbles for
rubbing and polishing. During the process of rubbing, solution of 65 gm of Gur and
250 gm of Gugal per 10 square meters is sprinkled every now and then.
• The surface thus prepared is cured with water at least for 15 days using damp
sand or moist gunny bags so as to keep the surface constantly wet.

Figure 4.1: Lime Concrete Terracing

In a village called Tehla near Jaipur, crushed lime waste ‘Bagra’ is extensively used for
mortars, plasters as well as for making flat lime roofs. These exemplify the beauty, strength
and possibilities that lie within a natural material like lime. While the extravagant palaces of
Jaipur used lime copiously, these humble homes took the leftovers of the lime waste using
it efficiently. Indeed nothing goes waste in our villages that making the best use of the
available resources. Not only is this economical & ecological it is also a sensible approach
towards natural building.

These roofs existed centuries before even the concept of a reinforced concrete slab was
born. This is our very own indigenous stone reinforced lime roof which is much more
durable and lasts so much longer. What’s more it doesn’t heat up your home, regulates the
temperature and most importantly lets your home breathe, especially if you’re in a hot and
dry region like Rajasthan. The bagra is ground in a chakka, and natural strength imparting
additives are added to the mix. Fenugreek seeds soaked in water, guggal (commiphora

COOL ROOF DESIGN 74

mukul), jaggery, etc are added to this impart desirable qualities of strength and setting time
in lime. These are the original admixtures of ancient times.

• Wooden logs are used as spanning members with 2’ c/c, which act as the base for
the roof. These rest on the stone wall projections called ‘gardan’, literally meaning
neck. These spanning members can either be wood or stone slabs (pink
sandstones).
• The next layer is that of big stone slabs laid with bagra mortar to cover the gaps
between the wooden members.
• Above this, smaller stones with larger quantities of bagra are laid further filling the
gaps between the joints making them impermeable.
• The final finish is a layer of bagra which is almost 2” thick. When this hardens we
have a waterproof leak proof flat lime floor.
• Two stones slabs project out of the parapet act as the rain water drain, with the slope
of the roof towards the drain.

Though now it is difficult to attain the workmanship and retain the materials once used, to
exactly replicate to obtain similar results, it is worth to try and experiment from learnings of
the past while applying knowledge through our own experiences and research. This is a
ray of hope and inspiration for natural builders to look at application of lime waste in in
flooring, foundation, lime bricks, etc. as natural building components. Curiosity will lead us
to stumble upon new discoveries and rediscoveries in building naturally, to help ourselves
and others in this process of creating a habitable shade without a trace of cement and steel.

Figure 4.2: Lime concrete

COOL ROOF DESIGN 75

 B) Thatch Roof

It is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water
reed, sedge (Cladium mariscus), rushes, heather, or palm branches, layering the
vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. Since the bulk of the vegetation
stays dry and is densely packed—trapping air—thatching also functions as insulation. It is
a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate climates.
Thatch is still employed by builders in developing countries, usually with low-cost local
vegetation. By contrast, in some developed countries it is the choice of some affluent
people who desire a rustic look for their home, would like a more ecologically friendly roof,
or who have purchased an originally thatched abode.

❖ In some equatorial countries, thatch is the prevalent local material for roofs, and
often walls. Good quality straw thatch can last for more than 50 years when applied
by a skilled thatcher. Traditionally, a new layer of straw was simply applied over the
weathered surface, and this "spar coating" tradition has created accumulations of
thatch over 7’ (2.1 m) thick on very old buildings. The straw is bundled into "yelms"
before it is taken up to the roof and then is attached using staples, known as "spars",
made from twisted hazel sticks

❖ The performance of thatch depends on roof shape and design, pitch of roof,
position—its geography and topography—the quality of material and the expertise
of the thatcher.

❖ Thatch has some natural properties that are advantageous to its performance. It is
naturally weather-resistant, and when properly maintained does not absorb a lot of
water. There should not be a significant increase to roof weight due to water
retention. A roof pitch of at least 50 degrees allows precipitation to travel quickly
down slope so that it runs off the roof before it can penetrate the structure.

❖ Thatch is also a natural insulator, and air pockets within straw thatch insulate a
building in both warm and cold weather. A thatched roof ensures that a building is
cool in summer and warm in winter.

❖ Thatch also has very good resistance to wind damage when applied correctly.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 76

Advantages

❖ Thatching materials range from plains grasses to waterproof leaves found in

equatorial regions. It is the most common roofing material in the world, because the
materials are readily available.
❖ Because thatch is lighter, less timber is required in the roof that supports it.
❖ Thatch is a versatile material when it comes to covering irregular roof structures.
This fact lends itself to the use of second-hand, recycled and natural materials that
are not only more sustainable, but need not fit exact standard dimensions to perform
well.

Disadvantages
❖ Thatched houses are harder to insure because of the perceived fire risk, and
because thatching is labor-intensive, it is much more expensive to thatch a roof than
to cover it with slate or tiles. Birds can damage a roof while they are foraging for
grubs, and rodents are attracted by residual grain in straw.
❖ Thatch has fallen out of favor in much of the industrialized world not because of fire,
but because thatching has become very expensive and alternative 'hard' materials
are cheaper—but this situation is slowly changing.

Figure 4.3: Thatch Roof For Roof Figure 4.4: Thatch Roof For Pandalas

COOL ROOF DESIGN 77

4.2) MODULAR COOL ROOF DESIGN

A roof is defined as the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the
building and its contents from the effects of weather. The characteristics of a roof are
dependent upon the purpose of the building that it covers, the available roofing materials,
the local traditions of construction and wider concepts of architectural design practice, and
may also be governed by local or national legislation.

❖ A verandah may be roofed with material that protects against sunlight but admits the
other elements. The material of a roof may range from banana leaves, wheaten
straw, terracotta tiles, aluminium sheeting and precast concrete.

❖ The durability of a roof is a matter of concern because the roof is often the least
accessible part of a building for purposes of repair and renewal, while its damage or
destruction can have serious effects.

❖ Some roofing materials, particularly those of natural fibrous material, such as thatch,
have excellent insulating properties. For those that do not, extra insulation is often
installed under the outer layer. Newer systems include solar shingles which
generate electricity as well as cover the roof.

❖ There are also solar systems available that generate hot water or hot air and which
can also act as a roof covering. More complex systems may carry out all of these
functions: generate electricity, recover thermal energy, and also act as a roof
covering.

❖ At times the most convenient and in some ways, cost effective roofing system is the
pitched roof type. Although such an approach to the casual observer may appear
easier to put together in terms of time for assembly, and acquisition of components,
the design of the entire structure can actually prove to be rather complex as it
involves the coming together of a multitude of parts, each with their own specific
requirements and variability in terms of material potential.

❖ Thick roofs will also store this heat into the night and can conduct downwards to
walls below: the building becomes a "battery" for day time heat. For low buildings
tree shade is the best solution. In apartment buildings, the top floor will mostly be
the hottest by a few degrees Celsius. Putting white paint or tiles is good but will not
prevent all of this heat build-up.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 78

 ❖ A more effective way is to make an additional "covering roof" to prevent the solar
heat up of the main roof with a (big) air gap below as is done (partially) in the new
community west of Creativity.

A) FLAT ROOFS

• The flat roof that we most commonly know and perhaps use was found to be very
differently used in ways that make it lighter, stronger and more durable.

• The first thing that we could probably observe in a flat slab is its extensive use in
concrete and steel that naturally results in an increase in the cost of the structure.
Second is as a result of all its material being steel and concrete how heavy can the
structure get. And lastly how much of energy does it consume during the day
considering how hot can concrete and steel get.

The following techniques shows us how flat roof’s can be much lighter and at the same
time more efficient and durable by using the same materials in a different way.

• The Filler Slab technique for example was one such technique that we had come
across in which was found to be experimented in different ways. The idea is that a
filler is used to reduce the load of concrete that is actually used in the slab. Materials
such as Hollow Terra Cotta blocks to inverted pots are used.

• Jack arch roof construction where trapezoidal reinforced concrete beams are used
at intervals between which hollow terra cotta blocks form small elongated multiple
vaults. Above them concrete fill is laid providing a level surface upon which the
flooring finish can be, if there is another level in the structure. Otherwise the top of
the building can be waterproofed and any relevant terrace surface material such as
china mosaic tiling used for the finished roof.

FILLER SLAB JACK ARCH ROOF

COOL ROOF DESIGN 79

B) PITCHED ROOF

The different ways in which a pitch can be achieved considering what material is being used
plays an important role in how efficient the building can actually be. Few of the constraints that
a pitch roof is normally put to test is its span which naturally tends to test the strength of the
material which is used to achieve the pitch. Reinforced concrete rafters and wood are few of
the materials that have been innovatively used in our study. The frame from which the pitch is
made is finished with materials from terra cotta tiles to thatch. Thatch is used in different ways
as it proved to be at times in-efficient to the climatic and termite conditions. in some areas thatch
was found merely to be palm leaves and elsewhere was reinforced with straw bamboo strips
and palm leaves. This was to provide a more cooler effect in its enclosures. Here is some US
research result that decreases the heat for all pitched roofs (except for thatch, which is already
cool).

• Pitched roof construction where the building plan, being hexagonal in profile
coupled, with a double level demanded an innovative coming together of varied
joinery details. Rafters radiate outwards and come together atop a central pillar while
supported by the periphery walls. Tiling creates cover against the elements and is
aesthetically pleasing.

• Pitched roof construction also uses an assembly that integrates metallic, wooden as
well as earthen elements. Cast iron brackets are hinged on columns that provide
support to the main wooden roof edge member, which in turn holds rafters in place
that are connected by battens upon which mangalore terracotta tiles have been laid
to provide a shelter for this verandah space.

Roofing with wooden rafters and terra cotta tiles

COOL ROOF DESIGN 80

C) DOMED AND VAULTED ROOFING

Domes and vaulted structures were constructed with materials such as bricks, steel and a
locally termed material called “guna tubes”. This is conical in shape made of terra cotta and is
used to construct small span vaults. Another local term that we would come across is “aachikal”
which is the local term of a small brick, which is used also in constructing vaults.

-Application of Domes:

• Plain masonry built with blocks or bricks

• Floors for multi-storey buildings, they can be leveled flat Roofs, they can be left like that
and they will be waterproofed *Earthquakes zones, they can be used with a reinforced
ringbeam
• They are Built Free Spanning: It means that they are built without form ; this way is also
called the Nubian technique

-Timber Saving:

• Domes are built with bricks and blocks (rarely with stones)

-Variety of Plans and Shapes:

• Domes can be built on round, square, rectangular rooms, etc. They allow a wider variety
of shapes than vaults.

-Stability Study:

• The shape of a dome is crucial for stability, and a stability study is often needed.

BUILDING DOMES

• Circular domes are defined by the rotation of a compass. The length of the compass
is taken at the outer diameter of the dome, so that the direction of the block can be
adjusted by the angle of the compass.
• Square domes are generated by the intersection of two vaults, which create the
groined or cloister domes. The procedure described as follows is for cloister domes
which are built with squinches. A template is required and it is generally made of a
pipe which is bent according to the need. String lines are pulled at regular intervals,
from diagonal to diagonal of the template.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 81

COMPOSITE ROOFING WITH BRICK DOME AND BRICK VAULT

The roofing structure here is a composite work of vaults and domes. The Domes are used for
the main enclosures. The beam on which it rests cantilevers the slab outward. This is done for
rain water drainage for which a gutter is provided along the edge of the slab.

Materials

• Brick
• Concrete
• China Mosaic

WALL SECTION ROOM INTERIOR

COOL ROOF DESIGN 82

VAULTS

Vaults are generated by the projection of the arch section on a plan, which is most of the
time horizontal. A vault is an arch-shaped structure, usually of masonry, used as the ceiling
of a room or other enclosed space, as the roof of a building, or as the support for a ceiling
or roof. Masonry vaults are often composed of voussoirs, which are held in place, like the
stones of an arch, by the pressure of the neighbouring pieces. A temporary supporting
structure must be erected within the vaulted area during construction, because a masonry
vault does not become self-supporting until the central voussoirs or keystones are put in
place. A number of different types of vaults are used architecturally. The simplest of these
is the barrel, or tunnel vault, the roof of which is shaped like half a cylinder and is supported
by straight walls. A groined vault is formed by the intersection of two vaults of the barrel
type, usually at right angles to each other. The junctures at which the two vaults meet are
elliptical ridges, called groins. A dome can be thought of as an arch which has been rotated
around its vertical axis. As such, domes have a great deal of structural strength. A small
dome can be constructed of ordinary masonry, held together by friction and compressive
forces.

Materials

• Guna Tubes
• Aachikal
• Steel
• Brick
VAULTED ROOFING WITH STEEL

The building is a vaulted structure with its principle material being steel. The Vault rest on steel
columns on its sides and further supported near the middle on either sides over steel columns
which rest on rammed earth walls. Box steel section columns are welded to ‘I’ section beams
that run across the vault. Over this re steel and wooden purlins upon which an aluminum sheet
is used.

Materials

• Steel Sections
• Wooden Purlins
• Aluminum Clad Sheet

COOL ROOF DESIGN 83

ROOFING WITH GUNA TILES

Roofing with Guna Tubes is a variation of the vault and is achieved by substituting the
standard material used to execute the curve, instead of voussoir type masonry. This
method is unique since an element called ‘guna tube’ is used which consists of tapering
conical, burnt clay pipes adapting them to come together, socket into one another and
stacked in a curved form along the centering formwork. A series of such arches make a
barrel vault capable of withstanding considerable loads. The top of the roof is given a
plaster finish. After joints are filled and topped with plaster, the roof becomes rigid and
waterproof, doing totally without steel or timber. Air inside the hollow-tiled roof protects from
heat and cold. It is fabricated and ready for use within three days and requires no
maintenance having a life span of more than fifty years. Being light in weight this variation
of the vault roof is safe even in earthquake prone areas.

This type is also called the ‘wardha roof’ incorporating a catenary arch profile, obtained via
suspension due to gravitational forces, which is more efficient than a circle segment. Also
alternate bows are laid in reverse direction to each other such that the tapering of the
tumblers or tubes opposes the adjacent row, in order to reduce gaps to the minimum. Upon
removal of the centering this roof may sink slightly, but only to enable the elements to
socket into each other to the fullest extent. Having applied 1:4 cement plaster the finishing
of this roof can be refined using a china mosaic with broken glazed tiles. Aesthetically and
economically the viability of this roofing technique is rather impressive.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 84

Details and experiences

A series of arches made out of the guna tile make a barrel vault capable of withstanding
considerable loads – upto 1 ton/m2. The top of the roof is given a plaster finish. After joints
are filled and topped with plaster, the roof becomes rigid and waterproof, doing totally
without steel or timber. The cost of this roof works out to Rs. 20/sq.ft. It has the following
advantages:

• Air inside the hollow-tiled roof protects from heat and cold. A 10 oC temperature
difference is observed in slab roof and guna vault roof.

• It has no under structure, yet can bear weight of 1000 kg/m2.

• It is fabricated and ready for use within 3 days.

• Requires no maintenance and has life span of more than 50 years.

• It is not affected by rain, hail or wind.

• Being light in weight (less than 12 kg/sq.ft). the vault roof is safe even in
earthquakes.

• Even if the mud walls collapse, the roof remains intact residing on pillars and beams.
After construction of brick pillars, ring beams and gable walls, the M.S. trusses are
placed in position above the opposite pillars held with guy ropes and timber poles.
Now GI pipes (12 mm dia., 10 nos.) are placed on the trusses in the MS rings
provided at specific points. They are supported by gable walls at both ends. Guna
pipes are now laid dry on this skeleton shuttering in a plug-socket manner,
completing the roof ring by ring. Lime/cement mortar is now poured on the roof,
trowelling it into the gaps and leaving the top rough to receive the finishing coat.
Care is taken to remove the skeleton support within 12 hours to allow natural setting.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 85

REFERENCES
4.1) Vernacular Cool Roof Design

• https://portfolio.cept.ac.in/archive/innovative-roofs-for-hot-and-dry-climate/
• http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=118953
• http://thannal.com/bagra-flat-lime-roofs/
• https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Thatch_roofing
• https://thatchinginfo.com/beginners-guide/

4.2) Modular Cool Roof Design

• https://www.thespruce.com/types-of-flat-roof-material-options-1824707
• https://www.thespruce.com/pros-and-cons-flat-roofing-systems-1824698
• https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Types_of_dome
• https://demuth.com/domeroofs.php
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vault_(architecture)
• https://www.slideshare.net/krishnakanthmallikar/vaults

COOL ROOF DESIGN 86

CHAPTER -5 CASESTUDIES

5.1) CASESTUDY-1: CENTRAL UNIVERSITY, RAJASTHAN, AJMER

ABOUT THE SITE

The university campus is situated at Bandar Sindri, near Kishangarh. Dist. Ajmer, 1.7 km
off the NH-8, on Jaipur-Ajmer road.
• Geographic Coordinates- 26◦36’37”N 75◦2’25”E
• Annual Rainfall: 460 mm (Annual)
• Humidity: 60% during monsoon,15-20% in summers
• Temperature: 45(max.) and 24(min) in summers and 18(max.) and 3(min.) in winters
• Solar Radiation: Direct and strong during daytime
• Wind: SW to NE, winds are hot and carry dust and sand
• Soil: Silty sand with gravel below 1.5m

SITE ANALYSIS
❖ Major part of the site (i.e. the lowest part) falls in SE corner.
❖ The major catchment areas were retained during the development of the site and
are interconnected with the final over-flow guided towards the reservoir proposed
at the SE end of site.
❖ The existing mining pits that contain water collected through sub-surface flow
serve as a source of water, i.e. they were integrated with the water supply system
of the campus.
❖ The storm water drainage system, water supply system and sewerage system
were planned keeping in view the site contours.
❖ 60% of the site has a mild slope towards E; rest of the site has a major contour
pattern.
❖ The max. difference in the contour is approx. 14m over a horizontal distance of
approx. 1.4km.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 87

BIRD’S VIEW OF SITE PLAN SUN PATH

MASTER PLAN

COOL ROOF DESIGN 88

PASSIVE SOLAR ORIENTATION
❖ East- West orientation to minimize heat gain, i.e. longer face of building facing North-
South.
❖ The facades facing the North and South are provided with larger percentage of
openings.
❖ Tress around the buildings and along access corridors for channelling breeze
effectively.
❖ Window placement to allow cross ventilation.
❖ Minimum openings/placement of utility rooms (buffer spaces like toilets, staircases)
on east and west façade.
❖ Larger openings in North façade for providing ample natural daylighting so that use
of artificial lighting is reduced.
❖ Use of internal courtyards within the building envelope for providing effective cross
ventilation. Maximum courtyard width being less than the total height of building.

ROOF SLAB
❖ Roof top insulation and coloured roof finishes are the measure for reducing heat
ingress.
❖ The insulating material used is thatch and cotton wool of 3” thickness.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 89

5.2) CASESTUDY-2: NHPC CORPORATE OFFICE, FARIDABAD

• Founded: 1975
• Location: Faridabad
• Site Area: 23,733 sqm.
• Built-Up Area: 14,584 sqm
• GRIHA provisonal rating: 4 Stars
• Year of completion: 2014
• Faridabad, Haryana

Faridabad is the most populus city in the Indian state of Haryana. It is a leading industrial
centre and is situated in the National Capital Region bordering the Indian capital New Delhi.

Climate

• Faridabad has a hot semi-arid climate.

• The city features the three typical Indian seasons
• The “hot” or pre monsoon season lasts from late March to late June.
• The “wet” or monsoon season a swellering and often dangeously humid with
frequent but erratic heavy rainfall.
• Following the retreat of the monsoon is the “cool” or winter season with warm and
sunny weather producing by far the most comfortable conditions.

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Insulated Roof:

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5.3) CASESTUDY-3: NIIT, NEEMRANA

• NIIT University (Or NU) is a private university founded in 2009 located in Neemrana
Rajasthan in India.
• It was founded by Mr. Rajendra Singh Pawar, Chairman of NIIT Ltd and NIIT
Technologies Ltd.
• The University was established by an Ordinance of the Government of Rajasthan
on 13 October 2009.
• The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes.

LOCATION:

The 75 acre barren site in Neemrana, halfway on Delhi-Jaipur highway lies next to a hilland
had been deeply eroded by the runoff from the hill gushing through it year after year. The
area lying between the site and the hill is barren land where no construction is permitted.
The hill offers spectacular views all around.

BUILDING DESIGN
• The design of individual buildings in the campus takes further the concept of
sustainability All buildings are oriented in North-South direction with minimal
exposure on the west side to avoid heat gains.
• Use of glass on the exterior is restrained and shaded from sun.

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• Buildings are insulated from outside with 50mm vermiculite plaster.
• They are designed to be comfortably cool and dust free without conventional air-
conditioning.
• The academic buildings are mainly day lit.
• Light shelves on south side allow artificial lighting to be used sparingly.

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5.4) CASESTUDY-4: IIT, JODHPUR

• Site area :852 acres (3.45 km2) .

• Site description : bleak and desert like
• Jodhpur rocks 2 to 5 meter below the sand and that is great source for construction.
• 23 km away from jodhpur on highway no. 65 on nagaur road.

3 parts of the site

The land proposed for the overall development is in three parts:
• Site A, which is about 266.68 hectares (659 acre) to the west of NH 65,
• Site B, of about 74.06 hectares (182 acre) to the east of NH 65
• Site C of about 4.0 hectares (10 acre) to the south of Site A.

❖ LONGER SIDE OF BUILDING IS FACING NORTH AND SOUTH.

❖ SHORTER SIDE OF BUILDING IS FACING EAST AND WEST.
❖ East West Oriented Streets of the campus are shaded by buildings on both sides

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REFERENCES
All casestudy referred from the design casestudy.

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