1. Can Green Roofs Help Mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect?
Jessica Gold
Camille Tucker
Brittany Edghill
Jessica Gold
Camille Tucker
Brittany Edghill

2. Every year inner city residents suffer from the harmful effects of the

3. The Urban
Heat Island
Effect
The Urban
Heat Island
Effect

4. The Urban Heat Island Effect
Urban regions to become warmer than the rural surroundings
Forms an “island” of higher temperature in the urban landscape

5. On a sunny day surfaces which are exposed, such as the pavement, and rooftops can have increased temperatures of 50° to 90°F higher than the air temperature
Atmospheric Heat Island effect starts out weak during the early morning and throughout the day but become stronger after sunset because of the slow release of heat from the urban infrastructure.

6. Effects
It has been estimated that the heat island effect is responsible for 5 to 10 percent of peak electricity demand for cooling buildings.
Increasing energy demands leads to greater emissions of pollutants, greenhouse gases and gas emissions. This increase of pollution leads to health problems such as asthma and other respiratory problems.
Runoff into streams and river which leads to increased temperatures in the aquatic system

7. In the daytime, the heat from the sun is absorbed into city buildings/dark surfaces & at night an “island” of heat forms over the city causing a increase in temperature.

8. Solutions
Solutions
Cool Roofs
Cool Pavements
Green Roofs

9. By adding vegetation, trees, flowers and other natural CO2 sinks, the urban heat island effect can be dramatically decreased.

10. Our Hypothesis Our Hypothesis
We believe that green roofs would be the best solution for mitigating the urban heat island effect.

11. What is a Green Roof?
A green roof is a vegetated roof cover, with growing media and plants taking the place of bare membrane, gravel ballast, shingles or tiles.

12. Many places have already installed Green Roofs, such as:

13. The Bank of America Tower The Bank of America Tower

14. Chicago’s City Hall
Chicago’s City Hall

15. USPS Postal Building
USPS Postal Building

16. Wal-mart
Wal-mart

17. Our Experiment Our Experiment Collect Controlled data.
Surface Temperature
Air Temperature
Emissivity
Weather Conditions
Light Reflection (LUX)

18. Control Data
Control Data

19. Surface Temperature Point 1 (P1) Surface Temperature Point 2 (P2)
Date
Time
Surface Temperature Point 1 (P1)
Surface Temperature Point 2 (P2)
Emissivity
Air Temperature (F)
Wind Speed
Light (Lux)
Weather Conditions
4/15/2010
10:49 86
101 84
1477
Sunny
4/16/2010
11:05
63.5 62
57.5
231
Cloudy
4/19/2010
11:00
128
125 77
1500
4/20/2010
11:15
119
114 82
1555
4/28/2010
65.5
68.5
61.1
220
5/3/2010
11:03
70.5
73.3
230
5/4/2010
11:40
114.5
115
87.5
1570
5/5/2010
149
151.5 91
SW at 5 mph
1639
5/14/2010
11:25
104.5
153.3 85
5/17/2010
74.5
5/18/2010
10:35 51
51.8 15
5/19/2010
64.9
5/20/2010
10:45
165
164.2
181.5 79
164
5/21/2010
11:33
162
161.5
163.4
95.1
E at 6mph
333
5/24/2010
10:54
85.5
97.5
91.1
76.6 83
5/25/2010
136
136.5
143.7
83.8
SSE at 7mph
302

21. What are we trying to prove?
Collect Control Data
Collect green roof data
Compare the two.
Did temperatures, emissivity, and light reflection increase or decrease?

22. Conclusion Conclusion
In conclusion, although we won’t be able to see the final construction of a green roof on Brooklyn Technical high school, we believe our control data will be significant for future students. It will help them to prove our hypothesis that green roofs can in fact mitigate the urban heat island effect and lower various temperatures.