Optimization of Window Positions for Wind-Driven Natural Ventilation Performance

Nari Yoon, Mary Ann Piette, Jung Min Han, Wentao Wu and Ali Malkawi
Additional contact information
Nari Yoon: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Mary Ann Piette: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Jung Min Han: Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Wentao Wu: Department of Civil & Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
Ali Malkawi: Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-25

Abstract: This paper optimizes opening positions on building facades to maximize the natural ventilation’s potential for ventilation and cooling purposes. The paper demonstrates how to apply computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results to architectural design processes, and how the CFD-driven decisions impact ventilation and cooling: (1) background: A CFD helps predict the natural ventilation’s potential, the integration of CFD results into design decision-making has not been actively practiced; (2) methods: Pressure data on building facades were obtained from CFD simulations and mapped into the 3D modeling environment, which were then used to identify optimal positions of two openings of a zone. The effect of the selected opening positions was validated with building energy simulations; (3) results: The cross-comparison study of different window positions based on different geographical locations quantified the impact on natural ventilation effectiveness; and (4) conclusions: The optimized window position was shown to be effective, and some optimal solutions contradicted the typical cross-ventilation strategy.

Keywords: natural ventilation; window positions; optimization; early-design phase; building simulation; CFD (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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