Roof orientation, roofing materials and roof surface colour: their influence on indoor thermal comfort in warm humid climates

Abstract

The excessive heat transferred through the roof is one of the main causes of thermal discomfort in warm humid climatic conditions, which prevail in the tropical zone. Therefore, the selection of the most appropriate roof orientation and materials will be important for desirable thermal performance of passive houses. This study investigates the effect of the roof orientation, roofing materials, insulation and the surface colour of the roof on the maximum indoor temperature of a house located in a warm humid climatic region. It is shown with the aid of computer simulations that the roof orientation has no significant effect on a properly planned passive house. However, the use of appropriate materials and insulation could afford significant improvement, which could be further enhanced with the use of light colours for the roof surface.