Quantifying Fenestration Effect on Thermal Comfort in Naturally Ventilated Classrooms

Ibrahim Reda, Raouf N. AbdelMessih, Mohamed Steit and Ehab M. Mina
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Ibrahim Reda: Architectural and Interior Design Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Gulf University, Sanad P.O. Box 26489, Bahrain
Raouf N. AbdelMessih: Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11865, Egypt
Mohamed Steit: Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Ain Shams University, Cairo 11865, Egypt
Ehab M. Mina: Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11865, Egypt

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-22

Abstract: This study seeks to evaluate thermal comfort in naturally ventilated classrooms to draw sustainable solutions that reduce the dramatic energy consumed in mechanically ventilated spaces. Passive ventilation scenarios are generated using alternations of openings on the windward and leeward sides to evaluate their effects on thermal comfort. Twenty-eight experiments were carried in Bahrain during winter inside an exposed classroom, the experiments were grouped into five scenarios namely: “single-inlet single-outlet” SISO, “single-inlet double-outlet” SIDO, “double-inlet single-outlet” DISO, “double-inlet double-outlet” DIDO and “single-side ventilation” SSV. The findings indicate that single-side ventilation did not offer comfort except at high airspeed, while comfort is attained by using cross-ventilation at ambient temperature between 21.8–26.8 °C. The temperature difference between monitored locations and the inlet is inversely proportional to the number of air changes per hour. The DISO scenario accomplishes the lowest temperature difference. Using cross-ventilation instead of single-side ventilation reduces the temperature differences between 0.5–2.5 °C and increases airspeed up to three folds. According to the measured findings, the DISO cross-ventilation scenario is a valid sustainable solution adaptable to climatic variation locally and beyond with zero-energy consumption and zero emissions.

Keywords: naturally ventilated; cross ventilation; single-side ventilation; thermal comfort; adaptive systems; biomimetics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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