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We are doing a roof tear-off on our brownstone so we can re-think all the insulation and venting to make it the most energy efficient. It is a flat roof, but has more of a slope then most. It has about four feet height in front going down to nearly none in back. We’ve read that electric attic fans are NOT the way to go (see: http://www.askthebuilder.com/236_Powered_Attic_Fans_-_Attic_Insulation_Facts.shtml ), but that maybe turbines with ridge vents are? It seems there may be different recommendations for flat roofs vs. pitched (which is what most articles are about). In looking through the archives here I’ve read everything I can find on attic vents, insulation, turbines, whole house fans, and others, but there doesn’t seem to be any consensus about brownstone roofs. We are looking for ideas to help our home stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter (beyond obvious get A/C and crank the heat).

If we do get non-electrical turbines is there some way to calculate how big a size we need (and how many vents for inflow?). Any recommendations for companies that do this welcome too!

Anyone faced this same problem and could share their pro’s/con’s? Whatever we do we also want to ensure there is no condensation build up possible in the attic area either.
Thanks!