Rethinking Natural Ventilation Strategies in Buildings through Simulation

Abstract

Natural ventilation using passive approaches can increase indoor air quality without the need for mechanical systems. In the paper, mechanical ventilation has been ignored due to the associated energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, the study focusses on natural ventilation that can be created with architectural solutions. Specifically, the indoor air quality of a typical office building in Ankara, Türkiye was determined based on measurements, a building occupant survey, and the natural ventilation conditions as well as design alternatives were analysed by modelling and simulating the building using Autodesk CFD. From the simulation results, it was understood that current form of windows were not found suitable for effective and sufficient natural ventilation. As a result, not only design strategies that will increase the natural ventilation potential are put forward, but also strategies for façade elements have been produced in means of wind catchers.