The global energy demand has greatly impacted greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Since buildings are responsible for a large portion of global energy consumption, this study investigates the energy-saving potential of green roofs and cool roofs in reducing building energy consumption. Using an integrated approach that combines climate change modeling and building energy simulation, the study evaluates these strategies in six global cities (Cairo, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, Los Angeles, and Sao Paulo) under current and future climate change scenarios. The results show that in future climates, the implementation of green and cool roofs at the city level can lead to substantial annual energy reductions, with up to 65.51% and 71.72% reduction in HVAC consumption, respectively, by 2100. These findings can guide the implementation of these strategies in different climatic zones worldwide, informing the selection and design of suitable roof mitigation strategies for specific urban contexts.

Huijuan Xiao (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Qingwei Zhong (The School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Jia, S., Weng, Q., Yoo, C. et al. Building energy savings by green roofs and cool roofs in current and future climates. npj Urban Sustain 4, 23 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-024-00159-8