(512e) Effect of Roofing Materials on Building Energy Efficiency

With the energy cost rising 11.7 % seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), companies and people are concerned about their energy cost and consumption. Many companies seek to be environmentally friendly and are very conscious about their energy consumption and the related costs. One environmental friendly option is to explore different roofing materials such as white thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), solar panels, and green roofs, and their use as an alternative to reduce the consumption of energy in existing and new buildings. This research studied the effects of at least 15 roofing materials in reducing energy. This project is a collaborative effort involving UAB's Facilities Management Department and the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. Fifteen mini roofs have been constructed using diverse roof materials and data was collected, in terms of energy efficiency. The temperature inside of the mini roofs was measured by using one sensor installed inside of each mini roof. The sensor reading was sent directly to a computer located at the facilities management office for storage and posterior analysis. Data reading from the sensor was collected every 10 minutes by a computer installed in the Facilities Management Department. Each sensor sent a signal with the reading and this reading was collected to monitor the thermal performance. An assessment of energy efficiency using these roofing materials was conducted. Energy reduction using white roofs and green roofs will also be discussed and evaluated. It is anticipated that white roofs reduce the amount of energy consumption about 20% compared to green roofs.