Natural ventilation to control IAQ

Controlling indoor air quality appears to be more of a concern during the wintertime
when interior spaces must be heated to provide a certain level of thermal comfort. In a
building without mechanical ventilation or air-conditioning, IAQ is a concern because
most windows in the building may be closed, preventing the exchange of fresh air with
stale air. Care must be exercised in the operation of windows; opening a window for a
long period of time when the outside temperature is much less than the comfort level
temperature may cause more energy to be consumed than desired.

Natural ventilation for summertime cooling

Using natural ventilation to prevent overheating within a building presents a very

different challenge to maintaining acceptable IAQ standards. In this case, natural
ventilation is used especially at night when outdoor air is typically cooler than daytime
air. This applies to a cold to moderate European climate and not necessarily to the
climate of a city such as Washington DC, which experiences very hot and humid
summer days. For summertime cooling, important considerations are internal heat loads
and external solar gains, as well as building characteristics, such as thermal mass and
insulation level, and the overall building floor and site layout. Controlling airflow rates is
not as much a concern. The higher the airflow availability, the greater the cooling effect.
As long as occupants are comfortable, rigorous control of airflow is not necessary..

Natural Ventilation Principles

The use of natural ventilation is not a new concept by any means. Before air-
conditioning was invented, civilizations had to use their own innovative spirit and
creativity to maintain thermal comfort. In the 20th century, building designers and
architects were aware of many of the principles of natural ventilation that will be
described. Yet, because of an abundance of cheap energy in the United States, air
conditioning was readily embraced by designers. In particular, architects found new
"freedom" with the use of air conditioning. We can look at the buildings that exist today
and notice that facades feature a lot of windows. Air-conditioning allowed architects to
use massive amounts of glass in their designs; in the process, buildings became more
and more reliant on active cooling.

Cross Ventilation

The concept of cross ventilation is fairly simple. Let's consider a ten story rectangular
building. When wind hits one side of a building (windward side), the air will speed up in
order to flow around the building to the opposite (leeward side). This creates a positive
pressure on the windward side and a negative pressure on the leeward side. If windows
are open in the building on both the windward and leeward side, air will be forced
through the building. The process is similar to how lift is generated by an airplane wing.
The difference is that the building is very blunt compared with an airfoil; and is situated
vertically instead of horizontally like the airfoil. As long as the outside temperature is
lower than the indoor temperature, cross ventilation can be very effective in cooling
down the interior spaces of a building. How well cross ventilation works is dependent on
many factors including: building location with respect to pre-dominant wind directions,
interior layout of offices, corridors, furniture, and other potential airflow obstructions,
sizing of windows and other openings.

Figure 1-The above diagram is provided to illustrate how airflow passes through a room
by cross ventilation. Cold air comes in from the left side and absorbs heat from the
indoor environment. It then exits through windows on the opposite side of the building.
The use of automated windows is gaining popularity in European countries to provide
optimal airflow control. They are not typically used in the United States.

Stack Ventilation

The concept of stack ventilation is also fairly simple. Think of a chimney with a fire
burning below. The air heated above the fire rises through the chimney and out the top.
In this case, air is rising at a fairly high velocity. The same principle can be used to
ventilate a space. As air increases in temperature, its density drops. This causes it to
rise past air that is at a lower temperature. A stack will concentrate this effect. Typically,
the longer the stack, the more airflow you can get. The main benefit of using stack
ventilation is that wind is not required.
Figure 2-The above diagram illustrates an airflow path driven by the stack effect. Hot air
rising out the roof of the building creates a vacuum in the interior space; this vacuum is
used to bring cooler air from the outside into the building. In this particular scenario, the
vacuum is enhanced by wind. Note that wind is not necessary for stack ventilation and
that this method can be incorporated into a building in many more ways than having just
a skylight.

Night Cooling / Thermal Mass

Typically, outdoor temperatures are lower at night than during the day. The concept of
night cooling rests on this very fact. Cooler night air is brought into a building space to
"flush" out warm, stale air that accumulates during the day. While the concept of night
cooling is fairly straightforward, its implementation rests on many considerations.
Exposing a building to the outside at night can be a security risk. Also, if a building is
cooled down too much at night, workers may be uncomfortable the following morning. In
that case, heaters may be turned on, needlessly using energy.

Thermal mass can be incorporated into a building structure to absorb heat during the
daytime hours. The key to the success of many naturally ventilated buildings appears to
lie in the use of thermal mass. Typically this mass is incorporated into ceilings and walls
in the form of concrete or brick. At night, cooler outside air is brought in to bring the
temperature of the thermal mass back down to pre-occupancy levels. While the outdoor
temperature may fluctuate by ten to fifteen degrees C, the interior of a building with a
significant amount of exposed thermal mass may experience only temperature
fluctuates of two to three degrees.

Design Considerations

Designing a naturally ventilated building is a greater challenge for building engineers

than designing an air-conditioned one. In a sealed building, what goes on outside the
building is not so important to an air-conditoning designer. The designer is able to
assume uniform temperature distribution within a particular zone. If the temperature
rises above a certain setpoint, the air conditioning is turned on and cool air is brought
into the space. A natural ventilation designer cannot make any such assumptions.
Mother nature becomes the driving force. We all know from experience that weather
patterns change continuously. A designer must consider fluctuating temperature,
humidity, wind speed, and wind direction andd thus the interior layout of the building
becomes crucial. The physical location and orientation of the building becomes crucial
also. Outdoor pollution and noise are yet more tings that must be factored into the
design. With so many variables to consider, one can see the amount of effort required in
designing an effective naturally ventilated building. It is our own responsibility to take
charge of our planet and embrace design strategies that can reduce global energy
consumption and pollution

Natural ventilation

The ventilation system of a regular earthship.

NATURAL VENTILATION
is the process of supplying and removing air through an indoor space without using
mechanical systems. It refers to the flow of external air to an indoor space as a result of
pressure or temperature differences. There are two types of natural ventilation occurring
in buildings: WIND DRIVEN VENTILATION AND BUOYANCY-DRIVEN ventilation.
While wind is the main mechanism of wind driven ventilation, buoyancy-driven
ventilation occurs as a result of the directional buoyancy force that results from
temperature differences between the interior and exterior.[1]
PROCESS
The static pressure of air is the pressure in a free-flowing air stream and is depicted
by isobars in weather maps. Differences in static pressure arise from global
and microclimate thermal phenomena and create the air flow we call wind. Dynamic
pressure is the pressure exerted when the wind comes into contact with an object such
as a hill or a building and it is described by the following equation:[2]

where (using SI units):

= dynamic pressure in pascals,
= fluid density in kg/m3 (e.g. density of air),
= fluid velocity in m/s.
The impact of wind on a building affects the ventilation and infiltration rates
through it and the associated heat losses or heat gains. Wind speed increases
with height and is lower towards the ground due to frictional drag.
The impact of wind on the building form creates areas of positive pressure on the
windward side of a building and negative pressure on the leeward and sides of
the building. Thus building shape and local wind patterns are crucial in creating
the wind pressures that will drive air flow through its apertures. In practical terms
wind pressure will vary considerably creating complex air flows and turbulence
by its interaction with elements of the natural environment (trees, hills) and urban
context (buildings, structures). Vernacular and traditional buildings in different
climatic regions rely heavily on natural ventilation for maintaining thermal
comfort conditions in the enclosed spaces.[citation needed

DESIGN GUIDELINES
Are offered in building regulations and include a variety of
recommendations on many specific areas such as:

 Building location and orientation

 Building form and dimensions
 Indoor partitions and layout
 Other aperture types (doors, chimneys)
 Construction methods and detailing
 External elements (walls, screens)
 Urban planning conditions

THE FOLLOWING DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE SELECTED FROM

THE WHOLE BUILDING DESIGN GUIDE, A PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF BUILDING SCIENCES:[3]

 Widths of naturally ventilated zone should be narrow (max 13.7 m [45 feet])
 Each room should have two separate supply and exhaust openings. Locate
exhaust high above inlet to maximize stack effect. Orient windows across the
room and offset from each other to maximize mixing within the room while
minimizing the obstructions to airflow within the room.
 Window openings should be operable by the occupants
 Consider the use of clerestories or vented skylights
WIND DRIVEN VENTILATION
BUOYANCY-DRIVEN VENTILATION

Buoyancy used for high-rise natural ventilation

Buoyancy driven ventilation arise due to differences in density of interior and exterior
air, which in large part arises from differences in temperature. When there is a
temperature difference between two adjoining volumes of air the warmer air will
have lower density and be more buoyant thus will rise above the cold air creating an
upward air stream.
Forced upflow buoyancy driven ventilation in a building takes place in a traditional
fireplace. Passive stack ventilators are common in most bathrooms and other type
of spaces without direct access to the outdoors.
 In order for a building to be ventilated adequately via buoyancy driven ventilation,
the inside and outside temperatures must be different so that warmer indoor air rises
and escapes the building at higher apertures. If there are lower apertures then
colder, denser air from the exterior enters the building through them, thereby
creating upflow displacement ventilation. However, if there are no lower apertures
present, then both in- and out-flow will occur through the high level opening. This
latter strategy still results in fresh air reaching to low level, since although the
incoming cold air can be designed to mix with the interior air, it will always be more
dense than the bulk interior air and hence fall to the floor. Buoyancy-driven
ventilation increases with greater temperature difference, and increased height
between the higher and lower apertures in the case of displacement ventilation.
When both high and low level openings are present, the neutral plane in a building
occurs at the location between the high and low openings at which the internal
pressure will be the same as the external pressure (in the absence of wind). Above
the neutral plane, the air pressure will be positive and air will flow out of any
intermediate level apertures created. Below the neutral plane the air pressure will be
negative and external air will be drawn into the space through any intermediate level
apertues.
BUOYANCY-DRIVEN VENTILATION HAS SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS:
Does not rely on wind: can take place on still, hot summer days when it is most
needed.

 Stable air flow (compared to wind)

 Greater control in choosing areas of air intake
 Sustainable method
LIMITATIONS OF BUOYANCY-DRIVEN VENTILATION:

 Lower magnitude compared to wind ventilation on the windiest days

 Relies on temperature differences (inside/outside)
 Design restrictions (height, location of apertures) and may incur extra costs
(ventilator stacks, taller spaces)
 The quality of air it introduces in buildings may be polluted for example due to
proximity to an urban or industrial area (although this can also be a factor in
wind-driven ventilation)
Natural ventilation in buildings can rely mostly on wind pressure differences in windy
conditions, but buoyancy effects can a) augment this type of ventilation and b)
ensure air flow rates during still days. Buoyancy-driven ventilation can be
implemented in ways that air inflow in the building does not rely solely on wind
direction. In this respect it may provide improved air quality in some types of polluted
environments such as cities. For example air can be drawn through the backside or
courtyards of buildings avoiding the direct pollution and noise of the street facade.
Wind can augment the buoyancy effect but can also reduce its effect depending on
 its speed, direction and the design of air inlets and outlets. Therefore prevailing
winds must be taken into account when designing for stack effect ventilation

VENTILATION FROM WIND

New Zealand is a windy country and most places can rely on wind for ventilation most of
the time. The worst situation is hot, still, humid days in summer. Too much wind can be
a nuisance. For example, on sunny, windy days classrooms can become overheated
when windows are closed to avoid draughts, noise and papers being blown about (see
Figure 2).

SINGLE-SIDED VENTILATION

Wind cannot move the air through a room when there are only windows on one side.
Winds can have an effect on air changes in rooms up to eight metres deep, depending
on wind strength (see Figure 3).
However, effective ventilation may only be possible in shallower rooms ie, no deeper
than 2.5 times the ceiling height (see Figure 4).
Stack effect
Warm air rises, pushing air upwards.
This is sometimes referred to as the ‘stack effect’ (like movement of hot air up a
chimney). Cooler outside air is drawn in to replace the air going out the top, which
supplies fresh air and air movement, improving thermal comfort and heat removal. Air
movement from the stack effect is significant only in rooms with very high ceilings, such
as large, multi-purpose rooms or two-storey spaces and atriums (see Figure 5).
Its effect in most spaces is minor compared to the effect of wind.

STACK VENTILATION CAN BE ACHIEVED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS:

- cross ventilation at the same level

- chimney effect
- solar ventilation chimney or attic
- under pressure ventilator on the roof
- wind tower
- air flow caused by the evaporative cooling (patio or wet chimney).
ACTIVE VENTILATION
INTRODUCTION
Passive ventilation relies typically on using both convective air flows that result from the
tendency of warm air to rise and cool air to sink and taking advantage of prevailing
winds. Many passive ventilation systems rely on the building users to control window
and vents as indicated by site conditions and conditions within the building.
Insulation
Air tightness
Natural ventilation
Solar gain
Natural light

Brief Description
Ventilation is needed to bring fresh air into a home and to remove moist or polluted air.
It may also be needed for cooling.

Passive ventilation can be:

• controllable air movement through openings such as windows, doors from wind
pressures and/or indoor-outdoor temperature differences
• uncontrollable air flow through unintentional openings in the building envelope
(infiltration) resulting from wind and temperature generated pressure differences across
the building envelope

Passive ventilation is the least expensive and most environmentally friendly way to
ventilate a home.

ACTIVE VENTILATION
Energy saving gadgets
Solar attic fans – vents even in rainy day.

PASSIVE VENTILATION
Providing Good Ventilation