The role of green roofs for thermal and hydrologic restoration in dense built environment

The green roof is characterized by a settlement of plants-population and, as a result, by a complex layering of inert and organic components. Due to the high thickness of its section, this technology provides considerable thermal insulation for interior spaces, especially in summer season. Furthermore, the green roof produces meaningful benefits to surrounding environment in terms of thermal and hydrologic control, because of a unique feature: the constant presence of a component in its stratigraphy, which the water is. The study analyzes the green-roof performances for the urban settlement, through the results from a rain-chamber experimental session. The data are then used to evaluate the benefits coming from a hypothetical systematic application of green roof in a dense built environment.