Selection and performance evaluation of roof materials in arid oasis cities: The advantages of white polymer materials

• Published in: Building and environment 2025-01, Vol.267, p.112282, Article 112282
• Main Authors: Fu, Wentao, Li, Yaohua, Halik, Ümüt, Tian, Aolei, Ainiwaer, Ailiya, Liu, Yuying, Wei, Zhicheng, Shi, Lei, Welp, Martin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arid oasis cities; Building and environment; Heat relief; Roofing materials; Urban heat island; Urumqi
• ISSN: 0360-1323
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.112282

•The white polymer materials (WPM) exhibited the most effective subsurface cooling performance.•The temperature beneath the surface of WPM was minimally influenced by climate factors and showed no correlation with solar radiation intensity, precipitation, and cloudiness.•For arid regions with hot summers, WPM is recommended as a best roofing materials for determine of summer heat mitigation strategy due to their low maintenance cost and superior cooling performance. Selecting the appropriate roofing material is crucial for addressing the urban heat island effects. However, uncertainty remains regarding the best roofing material for improving subsurface cooling during hot summers in temperate continental arid climates. Comparative studies on different roof materials under various climatic conditions are essential to determine the most effective heat mitigation strategies for arid oasis cities. We present a conceptual model to examine the relationship between roofing materials and their thermal mitigation capabilities in arid regions during hot summers, while assessing the influence of climate factors on their cooling performance. An experiment in Urumqi evaluated the subsurface heat mitigation capabilities of four roofing materials: white polymer materials (WPM), sod (SOD), asphalt (ASP), and solar photovoltaic panels (SPP). The results showed that the WPM provided the most effective subsurface cooling. Compared with SOD, ASP, and SPP, WPM showed the lowest subsurface temperature. Notably, the subsurface temperature of the WPM was minimally affected by climatic factors and showed no correlation with solar radiation intensity, precipitation, and cloudiness (P > 0.05), highlighting its superior cooling performance. WPM roofs are recommended for heat mitigation during hot summers in arid oasis cities owing to their low maintenance costs, ecological benefits, and superior cooling performance. This study highlights the subsurface cooling capabilities of various roofing materials and their interaction with climatic factors and provides valuable insights for heat mitigation strategies in arid regions. [Display omitted]