Assessing Ecological and Economic Sustainability of Green Roof Systems in Semi-Arid Urban Landscapes

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With an emphasis on the thermal performance (TP) and energy efficiency (EE) of green roof (GR) systems, this study explores these systems' ecological and economic sustainability in urban settings. A simplified methodology was created to assess the TP of both extensive and intensive green roof variations. The findings underscore the critical function of GRs in reducing heat flux in buildings with insufficient insulation, stressing that larger roof substrates result in more significant heat reduction. Drier soil conditions provide better thermal insulation. Other important elements included soil moisture content and its effect on evapotranspiration. Specifically, the broad and intense green roof systems improved energy and environmental performance and dramatically lowered temperatures by roughly 3.3 and 3.5 degrees Celsius, respectively. The temperature drops affect roofs' outside surface temperature and contribute to alleviating the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Intensive green roofs IGRs, in particular, showed better thermal performance because of their higher Leaf Area Index (LAI) and thicker substrate. A multi-criteria analysis comparison was carried out to evaluate different GR systems' energy and environmental performance. The findings ascertain that the technique of IGR is a feasible option for lowering the building cooling energy requirements and lessening the effects of UHI, especially in semi-arid climates. This study offers helpful information for architects, legislators, and urban planners on how to use GR systems to improve ecological sustainability and economic benefits in urban settings.