Energy-saving protected roof systems

A roofing system for a structure having a roof deck with upstanding edges about the perimeter of the roof deck, the system comprising:

• a waterproof membrane on the roof deck and extending from edge-to-edge;
• a reservoir defined by the waterproof membrane and edges and containing a liquid therein;
• at least one insulating panel floating in the liquid reservoir and covering the waterproof membrane on the roof deck from edge-to-edge, the at least one panel having a reservoir surface facing the liquid reservoir and an external surface opposite the reservoir surface facing a surrounding environment;
• pumping means having an inlet within the reservoir and an outlet communicating with the surrounding environment for selectively distributing liquid from the reservoir onto the external surface of the panel;
• drain means through the panel and providing communication between the external surface and the reservoir for permitting drainage of liquid on the external surface into the reservoir;
• overflow drainage means for establishing a maximum depth of the reservoir;
• and
• edge sealing means between the edges and the insulation panel, the edge sealing means being resilient and extending in a horizontal direction between the upstanding edge and on opposing face of an adjacent insulation panel for accommodating horizontal reciprocal movement of the panel toward and away from the edges.

A roofing system for a structure having a roof deck with upstanding edges about the perimeter of the roof deck, the system comprising:

• a waterproof membrane on the roof deck and extending from edge-to-edge;
• a reservoir defined by the waterproof membrane and edges and containing a liquid therein;
• at least one insulating panel floating in the liquid reservoir and covering the waterproof membrane on the roof deck from edge-to-edge, the at least one panel having a reservoir surface facing the liquid reservoir and an external surface opposite the reservoir surface facing a surrounding environment;
• pumping means having an inlet within the reservoir and an outlet communicating with the surrounding environment for selectively distributing liquid from the reservoir onto the external surface of the panel;
• drain means through the panel and providing communication between the external surface and the reservoir for permitting drainage of liquid on the external surface into the reservoir;
• overflow drainage means for establishing a maximum depth of the reservoir;
• and
• a flexible strap for securing the at least one panel in the reservoir to the membrane.

A roofing system for a structure having a roof deck with upstanding edges about the perimeter of the roof deck, the system comprising:

• a waterproof membrane on the roof deck and extending from edge-to-edge;
• a reservoir defined by the waterproof membrane and edges and containing a liquid therein;
• at least one insulating panel floating in the liquid reservoir and covering the waterproof membrane on the roof deck from edge-to-edge, the at least one panel having a reservoir surface facing the liquid reservoir and an external surface opposite the reservoir surface facing a surrounding environment;
• pumping means having an inlet within the reservoir and an outlet communicating with the surrounding environment for selectively distributing liquid from the reservoir onto the external surface of the panel;
• drain means in the panel and providing communication between the external surface and the reservoir for permitting drainage of liquid on the external surface into the reservoir;
• overflow drainage means for establishing a maximum depth of the reservoir;
• and
• an air opening in the panel above the overflow drain means into which the overflow drain means extends, the air opening being covered by a cap having an air inlet vent for permitting passage of air through the cap and into the opening.

A roofing system for a structure having a roof deck with upstanding edges about the perimeter of the roof deck, the system comprising:

• a waterproof membrane on the roof deck and extending from edge-to-edge;
• a reservoir defined by the waterproof membrane and edges and containing a liquid therein;
• at least one insulating panel adapted to float on the liquid reservoir and covering the waterproof membrane on the roof deck from edge-to-edge, the at least one panel having an underside surface facing the liquid reservoir and an external surface opposite the underside surface facing a surrounding environment;
• drain means through the panel and providing communication between the external surface and the reservoir for permitting drainage of liquid on the external surface into the reservoir;
• and
• overflow drainage means extending through the roof deck for establishing a maximum depth of the reservoir, the overflow drainage means being covered by the external surface of the panel to prevent entry of debris into the overflow drainage means.

A roofing system for a structure having a roof deck with upstanding edges about the perimeter of the roof deck, the system comprising:

• a waterproof membrane on the roof deck and extending from edge-to-edge;
• a reservoir defined by the waterproof membrane and edges and containing a liquid therein;
• at least one insulating panel above the liquid reservoir and covering the waterproof membrane on the roof deck from edge-to-edge, the at least one panel having an underside surface facing the liquid reservoir and an external surface opposite the underside surface facing a surrounding environment;
• pumping means having an inlet within the reservoir and an outlet communicating with the surrounding environment for selectively distributing liquid from the reservoir onto the external surface of the panel;
• drain means through the panel and providing communication between the external surface and the reservoir for permitting drainage of liquid on the external surface into the reservoir;
• overflow drainage means for establishing a maximum depth of the reservoir, the overflow drainage means being located below the external surface of the panel;
• and
• mechanical cooling means within the reservoir for selectively cooling the liquid in the reservoir.

A roofing system for a structure having a roof deck with upstanding edges about the perimeter of the roof deck, the system comprising:

• a waterproof membrane on the roof deck and extending from edge-to-edge;
• at least one insulating panel covering the waterproof membrane on the roof deck from edge-to-edge, the at least one panel having an underside surface contacting the membrane and an external surface opposite the underside surface facing a surrounding environment;
• drain means in the panel and providing communication between the external surface and the membrane for permitting drainage of liquid on the external surface onto the membrane;
• and
• overflow drainage means extending through the roof deck for draining liquid from the membrane, the overflow drainage means being covered by the external surface of the panel to prevent entry of debris into the overflow drainage means.

A roofing system for a structure having a roof deck with upstanding edges about the perimeter of the roof deck, the system comprising:

• a waterproof membrane on the roof deck and extending from edge-to-edge;
• a reservoir defined by the waterproof membrane and edges and containing a liquid therein;
• a plurality of insulating panels adapted to float in the liquid reservoir and covering the waterproof membrane on the roof deck from edge-to-edge, each panel having an underside surface facing the liquid reservoir and an external surface opposite the reservoir surface for facing a surrounding environment;
• pumping means having an inlet within the reservoir and an outlet communicating with the surrounding environment for selectively distributing liquid from the reservoir onto the external surface of the panels;
• drain means through the panels and providing communication between the external surface and the reservoir for permitting drainage of liquid onto the external surface into the reservoir;
• overflow drainage means for establishing a desired depth of the reservoir, the overflow drainage means being located below the external surface of the panel;
• each panel defining longitudinal edges and lateral edges with a joint between the edges of adjacent panels, each joint functioning as a part of the drain means for providing communication between the external surface and the reservoir;
• and
• each panel of the plurality of panels including interconnecting means along at least some of the longitudinal and lateral edges for interconnecting the longitudinal and lateral edges of one panel to opposing longitudinal and lateral edges of an adjacent panel.