Life HEROTile is a European research project that is funded through the Life programme which aims to improve the underlay ventilation of roof tiles. The purpose of this is to improve energy performance of buildings and thereby contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. The project will develop technologies and systems that can be readily replicated and mainstreamed. As roofs are the most exposed part of the building to solar radiation, which is associated with excessive heat in the attic, vented tiled roofs could be a good solution for passive thermal building insulation in both hot and mild climates. The main objectives of the Life HEROTile project are to:

• Produce roof tiles with a shape that allows higher air permeability through the overlap of the tiles, and better energy performances through under-tile ventilation;
• Test two demonstration buildings that have been chosen to quantify the benefits of the new tiles;
• Make an open-source software programme for architects and technicians that will allow them to anticipate the energy performance of buildings associated with different roof tile configurations.

Representatives from several countries are involved in the project, including Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Israel. Cerame-Unie and TBE will support the projects’ dissemination activities. To learn more about the project, visit www.lifeherotile.eu, and to be updated on the development of the project, subscribe to the Life HEROTile newsletter.