Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 23, 2025

A CO2 Concentration Gradient Facility for Testing CO2 Enrichment and Soil Effects on Grassland Ecosystem Function
Published on: November 21, 2015
Review on the cooling potential of green roofs in different climates
Elmira Jamei1, Hing Wah Chau1, Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian2
1College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne VIC 3011, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract:
The combined trends of urban heat island (UHI) intensification and global warming led to an increased tendency towards on the greening of cities as a tool for UHI mitigation. Our study examines the range of research approaches and findings regarding the role of green roofs in mitigating urban heat and enhancing human comfort. This review provides an overview of 89 studies conducted in three main climate types (hot-humid, temperate, and dry), from 2000 till 2020. All of the reviewed studies confirm the cooling effect of green roofs and its contribution to reduced heat island intensity regardless of the background climatic condition. However, dry climate has the highest (3 °C) median cooling effect of green roofs among all the climates investigated. Hot-humid climate presents the lowest cooling potential (median = 1 °C) of green roofs among all the climate types. Moreover, green roofs contribute a median surface temperature reduction of 30 °C in hot-humid cities. This value is relatively low for temperate climates (28 °C). Notably, no study has examined the impact of green roofs on surface temperature reduction in dry climates. This review can benefit urban planners and various stakeholders.
Related Concept Videos
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Masonry in Cold and Hot Weather Conditions
Other key practices include keeping masonry units...
Frost Action on Concrete
This freeze-thaw cycle primarily causes surface scaling, where...
Frost Resistant Concrete
Introducing microscopic air bubbles into the concrete mix through air entrainment creates small voids that accommodate ice expansion, thereby reducing internal pressures and preventing cracking. The optimal amount of...
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata

