Throughout the world, there is an increasing interest in ecological design of buildings, and natural ventilation has proved to be the most efficient low-energy cooling technique. Its practical application, however, is hindered by the lack of information on the complex relationship between the building and its urban environment. In this book, a team of experts provide first-hand information and tools on the efficient use of natural ventilation in urban buildings. Key design principles are explained, enabling readers to decide on the best solution for natural ventilation of buildings, taking into account climate and urban context. In the initial sketches, architects need answers to open problems such as 'what kind of solution to adopt' and 'how to modify existing strategies to exploit the potential of the site'. This book formalizes the multi-criteria analysis of candidate solutions based on quantitative and qualitative estimation of the driving forces (wind and buoyancy), as well as of the barriers induced by the urban environment (wind speed reduction, noise and pollution) and gives a methodology for optimal design of openings. The book is accompanied by a FREE CD, containing software for assessing the potential of a given site, estimating wind speed and dimensioning the openings for natural ventilation. The methodologies and tools are tested, self-contained and user friendly. About the editors The editors, Cristian Ghiaus and Francis Allard, are affiliated with the University of La Rochelle, France. The authors and reviewers combine expertise from universities, research institutions and industry in Belgium, France, Great Britain, Greece, Portugal and Switzerland.
Author(s): Francis Allard, Cristian Ghiaus
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 260
1844071294......Page 1
List of Figures and Tables......Page 7
List of Contributors and Reviewers......Page 14
Foreword......Page 15
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations......Page 18
Introduction......Page 20
Energy and urban buildings......Page 22
Indoor air pollution in urban buildings......Page 28
How natural ventilation can improve the environmental quality of urban buildings......Page 31
Conclusions......Page 35
References......Page 36
Indoor air quality......Page 39
Thermal comfort......Page 41
Conclusions......Page 53
References......Page 54
Basic theory of fluid dynamics......Page 55
The atmospheric boundary layer......Page 78
Natural airflows in buildings......Page 86
Conclusions......Page 97
References......Page 98
Introduction......Page 100
Wind distribution in the urban environment......Page 101
A new concise algorithm for air speed in street canyons......Page 106
Experimental validation of the model of air speed in street canyons......Page 110
Experimental analysis of air and surface temperature in urban canyons......Page 118
Conclusions......Page 119
References......Page 120
Introduction......Page 122
Noise in street canyons......Page 123
A simple model of noise in canyons......Page 127
Calculating the noise attenuation at different heights in the canyon......Page 131
Calculating the maximum sound attenuation at the top of a canyon......Page 135
Simulations of noise attenuation in urban canyons......Page 136
Noise and natural ventilation potential......Page 139
Conclusions......Page 141
References......Page 142
Introduction......Page 143
Experimental study of the outdoor-indoor pollutant transfer......Page 144
Outdoor-indoor transfer mapping......Page 150
References......Page 153
Wind variation-induced single-sided ventilation......Page 155
Wind-driven cross-ventilation......Page 157
Buoyancy-driven stack ventilation......Page 159
Combined wind- and buoyancy-driven ventilation......Page 162
Combinations of fundamental strategies......Page 164
Balanced stack ventilation......Page 165
Double-skin façade......Page 167
Passive evaporative cooling......Page 168
Passive cooling......Page 170
Solar-assisted ventilation......Page 173
References......Page 175
Operable windows......Page 177
Louvers......Page 179
Vents......Page 180
Stack ducts......Page 181
Wind catchers......Page 182
Double-skin façades......Page 183
References......Page 186
Introduction......Page 187
Architectural scenarios......Page 188
Database for natural ventilation potential......Page 197
A methodology to calculate the optimum openings for naturally ventilated buildings located in urban canyons......Page 205
Conclusions......Page 211
References......Page 212
Introduction......Page 214
Driving forces of natural ventilation......Page 215
Constraints to natural ventilation......Page 218
Assumptions of the methodology......Page 219
Climatic suitability......Page 220
Multi-criteria analysis......Page 227
Software tool......Page 232
Software validation......Page 239
Conclusions......Page 243
References......Page 244
Renewable energy sources......Page 246
Conclusions......Page 253
References......Page 254
Index......Page 255
