Thermal Performance Evaluation of Large-span Roofs with Ventilating Cavity in Hot Climates: Case Study of Shenzhen Railway Station Hall

Abstract

Roofs of large-span structures always cause severe building energy consumption as well as uncomfortable indoor environments, especially in hot climates. This paper presents the evaluation of a passive roof structure which is designed to significantly reduce roof heat conduction and consequently improve interior comfort. With its ventilating cavity, this roof structure can remove the residual heat between its outer and inner layers. As a case study, the recently built Shenzhen railway station hall and on-site measurement is used for method validation. 3D steady Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, as well as energy consumption simulations, of roof form comparison have been conducted under different conditions. The cross comparison shows that this structure is effective in providing a climatic buffer against hot weather and consequently reduces the enormous energy consumption in large-span structures.