Routledge Roof Cooling Techniques: A Design Handbook

Natural heating and cooling of buildings helps to improve energy efficiency in the built environment. This book considers the principles of roof design and specific systems and cooling techniques. The authors explain the fundamental principles of roof cooling and describe in detail the relevant components, applications, built precedents, recent experimental work and key design considerations. Specific systems and techniques are examined, including the main advantages and disadvantages of each strategy.Environmental functions are considered in terms of protective strategies and selective strategies. Protective strategies include solar control, thermal insulation, heat storage and thermal inertia. Selective strategies include radiative, evaporative and convective cooling and planting of roofs. Traditional and current roof construction practices are described, exemplified by case studies from across Europe. Including downloadable resources with software that enables readers to evaluate their own designs, this book will be invaluable for architects and engineers who wish to create buildings that are more energy-efficient. Review 'Roof Cooling Techniques: A Design Handbook will be of great importance to architects. Written by three experts, the book will enable architects to make concise quantitative comparisons of the extents to which house roofs of various types will contribute to keeping houses cool in summer.' Solar Today About the Author Simos Yannas is Director of Environment and Energy Studies, Architectural Association, London, UK. In 2001, he was awarded the PLEA Lifetime Achievement Award. Evyatar Erell works at the Desert Architecture Unit at the Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. Jose Luis Molina works at the Department of Thermal Energy Engineering at the University of Seville, Spain