Patent ID: 8608533

Claim:
A roof ventilation system for a sloped roof of a building, the roof having a ridge and an eave, the system comprising: a first roofing layer; a second roofing layer constructed from a plurality of similar roofing tile elements disposed over the first roofing layer to form an air gap that extends between the first and second roofing layers substantially from the ridge to the eave; a first plurality of at least three vents arranged generally linearly and positioned within the roof proximate the ridge, each vent of the first plurality of vents comprising: a primary vent member positioned within the first roofing layer and comprising an opening that permits airflow between the air gap above the first roofing layer and an attic region below the first roofing layer, a fan configured to generate an exhaust air flow through the opening from the attic region below the first roofing layer to a region above the second roofing layer, and a secondary vent member positioned within the second roofing layer, and in air flow communication with the primary vent member through the air gap, the secondary vent member allowing airflow between the air gap and the region above the second roofing layer; a second plurality of at least three vents arranged generally linearly and positioned within the roof proximate the eave, each vent of the second plurality of vents comprising: a primary vent member positioned within the first roofing layer and comprising an opening that permits airflow between the air gap above the first roofing layer and the attic region below the first roofing layer, a fan configured to generate an inward air flow through the opening from the region above the second roofing layer to the attic region below the first roofing layer, and a secondary vent member positioned within the second roofing layer, and in air flow communication with the primary vent member through the air gap, the secondary vent member allowing airflow between the air gap and the region above the second roofing layer; and a controller in communication with the fans of the first and/or second plurality of vents, the controller being configured to drive the fans based on at least two types of environmental parameter, so that the fans of the first plurality of vents produce said exhaust airflow and so that the fans of the second plurality of vents produce said inward airflow.