Mexicans create green roofs that cool more than 15º

May
24, 2021

3 min read

This story originally appeared on México Desconocido

Green roofs , also known as green roofs or roof gardens, are ecofriendly systems in which, on top of a slab, it is possible to plant some types of vegetation (from grass to some tree).

And although their placement brings numerous benefits such as regulating the temperature, traditional green roofs are usually expensive and heavy, so they require specific conditions and are inaccessible for families with limited resources.

However, this may change thanks to Mexican ingenuity. And it is that, after a long investigation that took around 12 years, a group of specialists from the Autonomous University of Chiapas (UNACH) managed to create Domotej , a green roof capable of cooling up to 17º.

According to a scientific article on Domotej :

“This system includes the improvement of its thermal performance and is suitable for use in a tropical climate … In addition, it can offer some advantages over traditional systems because it requires less economic investment and because a progressive construction method carried out by the user can be used “, Evaluation of the structural behavior of the precast component for roof Domotej.

In addition, while normal roofs weigh up to 200 kilos per square meter, Domotej’s weighs 50 kilos per square meter (which means a great advantage). In addition to this, it is estimated that the cost of these green roofs is 13% lower than that of the usual ones.

To learn more about this project you can visit the profile of Techos Alternativos de Chiapas.

^{Image: Green Roofs via Facebook}

How do they work?

Due to the strategic presence of vegetation, the green roofs of Domotej allow the direct thermal gain generated by solar radiation to be eliminated. On the other hand, the albedo (percentage of radiation that the surfaces reflect with respect to the radiation that falls on it) is also reduced.

Likewise, the process of photosynthesis in plants helps significantly to reduce the effect of “heat islands” and to purify the surrounding air. It is worth mentioning that it is advisable to place endemic species so that the maintenance of the garden is facilitated.

Benefits of green roofs

• They reduce environmental pollution and provide oxygen.
• They protect from solar radiation.
• They help regulate the temperature and increase the humidity of the environment.
• They work as thermal insulators so they allow energy savings.
• They reduce the cost of maintenance on the roof (waterproofing will no longer be necessary).
• They slow down the fall of water in the rainy season, thus helping to avoid floods.

^{Image: Green Roofs via Facebook}