The historic zinc roofs of Paris create an "oven effect": What are the challenges amid climate change?!
Zinc roofs are a historic feature of houses in Paris. Over 60 percent of roofs in the French capital are made of sheet metal and are protected by strict urban planning regulations.
However, their heat-retaining properties are posing challenges amid climate change.
In 2022, Paris experienced temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Residents say the metal roofs are making the heat unbearable inside the top-floor flats.
The zinc roofs of Paris were popularized by Georges-Eugène Haussmann during the Second Empire as part of a major urban renewal program.
Luigi Avrillas specializes in zinc roofing and says it's the ideal material because it doesn't become porous. "If installed properly, it lasts for almost a century," he says. "For me, the quality-price ratio, given the elegance of the product and its durability, makes it the best for roofing in Paris."
To make the material "compatible" with climate change, Avrillas says it is necessary to install roofs with insulation to prevent them from becoming "thermal boilers".
Eytan Levy, co-founder of Roofscapes, is testing wooden roof coverings to prevent the sun from hitting the metal directly. He is testing his idea on the roofs of the former city hall in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. "We developed a platform system with metal posts that go through the zinc to connect to the bearing points of the building," says Levy.
His temperature readings from July 30 this year recorded 67C on the roof surface and 47C inside the building without the wooden coverings. With protection, the readings were 35C on the roof and 29C inside. "There's a 17-degree difference between the shaded and sun-exposed parts of the building," he says.
Finding a solution to Paris' urban overheating is now urgent. "Of course, roofs are a heritage issue, but you can't tell 80, 90 or 100,000 people to go live somewhere else," says Pénélope Komites, the city's deputy mayor.
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