Performance of Reflective Insulation in Gable Roofs: Small-Scale Experimental Investigation

Thermal performance of roofs can be improved using
insulation materials. Conductive insulation materials create
miniature air spaces which retards heat flow through
conduction, whereas reflective insulation uses larger air spaces
faced with foil on one or both sides to reflect heat flow through
radiation and retard heat flow through conduction. Two smallscale
experimental houses with dimensions of 60 cm length by
60 cm width by 50 cm height were constructed to investigate
the efficiency of reflective insulation in improving thermal
performance of gable roof. The houses were equipped with
data loggers and thermocouples for data collection. Findings
validated that on average, reflective insulation reduces indoor
temperatures of the small-scale experimental house by 2°C.