Methods of Heat Flux Measurement in a Modular Green Roof System

Texas A&M has a multidisciplinary project focused on undergraduate education and research on green roof and living wall technologies. The Atmospheric Science/Meteorology role in the project is primarily the instrumentation of the various plots and living walls for standard meteorological variables as well as soil and rooftop temperatures, soil moisture, and radiation.  One of the primary benefits of a green roof system is their use as a natural insulator for buildings, which moderates heat loss and heat gain through the building’s roof. Normally, heat flux sensors are used to measure the movement of heat in and out of building surfaces. Due to the complexity of surface type and location in green roof systems, obtaining accurate and representative heat flux measurements is a unique challenge. In this project, we develop a methodology for placing heat flux sensors for a modular green roof. A variety of placement orientations and adhesive techniques are tested. Additionally, two models of heat flux sensors with different surface areas are tested and compared.  This research will determine the most representative placement of heat flux sensors in the Texas A&M Green Roof project, and thus enabling the measurement of energy savings.