Green Roof Albedo

Albedo or solar reflectance is a measure of a material s ability to reflect sunlight including the visible infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths on a scale of 0 to 1 an albedo of 0 0 indicates that the surface absorbs all solar radiation and an albedo of 1 0 represents total reflectivity.

Green roof albedo.

Sustainable roofing glossary albedo. One way to increase the albedo of a roof is to plant vegetation. One of the more recent advancements in the field of green commercial construction are what are known as cool or albedo roofs. Ultimately the albedo of a green roof is about twice higher than the albedos found for dark roofing surfaces.

In contrast to conventional roofs these kind are specifically designed to reduce internal building temperature by reflecting the sun s uv rays. The new concrete is a whitish gray color that is able to reflect sunlight and keep not only the roads cooler but also the adjacent buildings. Although the primary focus of a green roof is not simply improving the surface albedo like the intentions of cool roofs it is still a significant improvement from a traditional black roof. 2006 also made a comparison of temperatures of the subsurface the conventional rooftop level and the green roof surface.

Rooftop gardens and green roof systems such as the stormcap create a buffer preventing heat from entering the building.