Life Cycle Analysis of Cool Roof in Tropical Areas

In this work, the Complex Fast Fourier Transform (CFFT) method is introduced to predict the roof temperature and heat gain in the tropical country of Singapore. The cost-effectiveness of cool paint and roof ventilation are evaluated through life-cycle analysis. Cool paint and roof ventilation can provide annual cooling energy savings of 33-57 USD/m2 for the top-floor residential units. The payback period of cool paint is shorter than 2 months in unventilated roof and shorter than 6 months in ventilated roof. Both cool paint and roof ventilation are very energy-efficient and cost-effective in tropical climate.