Technical Papers
Jun 22, 2017

Temperature and Air Flow Patterns in Attic Roofs

Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 23, Issue 3

Abstract

Understanding temperature and airflow patterns in an attic roof helps to identify the sections of the roof where moisture damage and roofing material durability problems can be expected. In this paper, the temperature distribution and the airflow patterns inside an attic space in a climate that can be characterized with cold winter and hot summer periods are discussed. In the study, transient boundary conditions were applied, and the dynamic responses of a typical attic roof, including the flow patterns, attic air and roof sheathing temperatures, ventilation rates, and heating and cooling loads, are presented. These findings can be used to understand the airflow pattern and how it can be affected by an incoming wind speed and solar gain.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canada Research Chair (CRC) Program, the Home Protection Office (HPO), and the School of Construction and the Environment at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

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Published In

Go to Journal of Architectural Engineering
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 23Issue 3September 2017

History

Received: Sep 14, 2016
Accepted: Mar 8, 2017
Published online: Jun 22, 2017
Published in print: Sep 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Nov 22, 2017

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Authors

Affiliations

Fitsum Tariku [email protected]
Director, Building Science Centre of Excellence, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 3700 Willingdon Ave., Burnaby, BC, Canada V5G 3H2 (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected]
Emishaw D. Iffa
Researcher, Building Science Centre of Excellence, Building Science Centre of Excellence, 3700 Willingdon Ave., Burnaby, BC, Canada V5G 3H2.

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