Simulation of the Thermal Behaviour of a Building Retrofitted with a Green Roof: Optimization of Energy Efficiency with Reference to Italian Climatic Zones

Running a building energy simulation program (EnergyPlus), simulations were conducted on a ‘public housing’ building type, in order to evaluate the energy savings achieved by a green roof coupled with different configurations of external wall. EnergyPlus enabled the investigation of the thermal behaviour variations of the building envelope, and the possible consequences, in terms of comfort, on the temperature of the internal spaces. The variation of the energy behaviour of the building envelope type was assessed primarily through the analysis of the operative temperature T° of the elements of surface casing, the trend of the surface heat fluxes on the faces of the elements of internal and external housing, the variation of the operating temperature inside the rooms. The energy savings achieved with a green roof varies considerably in relation to the reference performance obtained without this kind of insulating structure. The main parameters, useful to define the contribution of the green roof to the reduction of the loads of cooling plants, consist of the specific climate and the thermal isolation level of the initial coverage.