Thermal performance of exterior roof level amenity space in a cold climate - a quantitative guidance tool for landscape design

There are no known studies to quantify the effects of amenity space landscape structures located over habitable space as related to thermal performance. There are three main objectives for investigation in this MRP; Objective 1 – Thermal analysis of on-slab wall types, Objective 2 (O2) – Thermal analysis of example amenity space using results from O1, and Objective 3 (O3) – Recommended details that ‘work’ thermally and functionally. A quantitative methodology was utilized using 1D manual calculation (Glaser method) and 2D computer simulation (THERM) to study three CIP concrete wall conditions and variations which include; 1.0) base line condition, 2.0) modified condition, and 3.0) ultimate condition. Simulation results of O1 indicated that design of landscape walls could improve thermal performance by 55%, O2 found that there was an improvement of 60.5% between the worst and best performing conditions, and O3 recommended two wall variations to be utilized in landscape design which perform thermally and functionally. Keywords Thermal bridges, condominiums, MURBS, amenity space, landscape design, green roof, THERM