The Importance of Roof Thermal Insulation: Awareness among Professionals and Terrace House Occupants

Terrace houses are the typical housing typology in Malaysia. Thus, study on thermal comfort is always associated with terrace houses. Installing roof thermal insulation is important in energy saving, however, due to the availability of air conditioning it has not been a regular practice. To reduce air conditioning usage, thermal insulation must be installed under the roof. The study aims to determine the awareness level among professionals and terrace housing occupants on the importance of installing roof thermal insulation in terrace houses in Malaysia. Studies were made on government’s initiative towards roof thermal insulation, current practice by developers and architects, and terrace housing occupants’ knowledge on roof thermal insulation. The study was supported by review and analysis of previous research, government’s official publications, magazines, books and websites. The study found that professionals are aware on the importance of the roof thermal insulation for comfort and energy saving while occupants are very much less aware of its important. Keywords— roof thermal insulation, terrace houses, Malaysia, awareness, thermal comfort.