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DESIGNING FOR NATURAL VENTILATION: AN EARLY DESIGN STAGE TOOL

Conference Paper · September 2015

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 DESIGNING FOR NATURAL VENTILATION: AN EARLY DESIGN STAGE TOOL
Juan Vallejo Natural Cooling Ltd. juanan.v@naturalcooling.co.uk
Brian Ford Natural Cooling Ltd. brian@naturalcooling.co.uk
Pablo Aparicio Ruiz Universidad de Sevilla pabloaparicio@us.es
Camilo Diaz WSP Group Camilo.Diaz@WSPGroup.com

Fig 1: Natural Ventilation Steady-State Calculation Tool

WHICH ARE YOUR ARCHITECTURAL (R)SOLUTIONS TO THE SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
CHALLENGES OF TODAY?
Research summary
Early design stage decision making proceeds very quickly, and strategic decisions regarding the
feasibility of natural ventilation must be supported by speedy and reliable evaluation. There are a
limited number of such early stage design tools for evaluating natural ventilation options, and none of
them are widely used in practice. This paper will present a simple steady-state tool which was initially
developed as an in-house tool within a UK based architecture and environmental design practice. The
tool has been applied in the development of a wide range of projects, and has proved to be reliable and
quick to use in evaluating the broad feasibility of natural ventilation options. It is also an innovative
educational tool which has been used widely by post-graduate students in exploring the implications
and opportunities for natural ventilation in different locations and for different building types. This tool
has recently been further developed for more widespread use and application. The objective was to
expand the range of generic airflow strategies that can be explicitly evaluated, extend the geographic
applicability of the tool, incorporate a more user-friendly graphic interface, and release it in a web-
based platform to be accessible from any device. A comparative evaluation of the attributes of different
existing tools, a survey of user experience and a critical evaluation of potential improvements to the
detailed structure of the tool, has formed the basis of the further development of this tool. It is
envisaged that these developments will make it a more widely used professional tool and facilitate the
design and evaluation of proposals for low carbon naturally ventilated buildings worldwide.
Keywords: natural ventilation, software tool.
1. Introduction

The significant benefits of natural ventilation

over mechanical ventilation are now widely
appreciated: reduced carbon emissions
(mechanical ventilation can represent 25-35%
of electrical energy use in buildings); reduced
capital cost (mechanical ventilation can add
10% to the capital cost); reduced maintenance
cost (mechanical ventilation can double the life
–cycle cost). Naturally ventilated buildings can
also be robust and reliable in providing a
healthy and comfortable internal environment. Fig 2. The Stock Exchange (a converted church)
However, architects cannot always rely on an Valletta, Malta. (Architecture Project Architects).
engineer’s help in the early stage of design, and
so they need a simple and quick tool to assist in
the evaluation of natural ventilation options.
Too often, this lack of early stage evaluation
results in the application of mechanical
ventilation by default.
This paper describes a simple steady state tool
for the evaluation of natural ventilation options
in buildings at an early design stage. It was
developed originally by Dr Camilo Diaz as an in-
house tool for use by a practice of consultants
in the UK. It was applied in evaluating options,
airflow path strategies and preliminary sizing of
vent opening areas in a series of buildings in
Europe, North America, India and China. This
Fig 3. Summer Ventilation Strategies, The Stock
included the design of the Stock Exchange in
Exchange, Valletta, Malta (Architecture Project).
Malta with the architects Architecture Project
(see Figs 2 & 3), the Centre for Sustainable
Energy Technologies, Ningbo, China (Mario The tool was applied in these projects at an
Cucinella Architects) and the Pittsburgh early stage, and as the design became more
Convention Centre, USA (Raphael Vinoly defined, other (more sophisticated) tools were
Architects). More recently it was used to used to assist with refinement of details and to
support early stage design of a new Performing provide confidence in the dynamic performance
Arts Building for Nottingham Girls High School, of each building. This simple tool has proved to
UK with Marsh Growchowski Architects. be reliable and quick to use, supporting rapid
design development and providing a good basis
for later stage more detailed analysis.
Over the last ten years, the original tool has also
been applied by post-graduate students at the
University of Nottingham in the evaluation of
their design projects. Limitations and potential
improvements emerged over this time, and a
plan to develop the tool and make it more
widely applicable was conceived. The new tool
has been developed by Juan Vallejo and Pablo
Aparicio Ruiz, in collaboration with colleagues
at the University of Biobio in Chile, and
coordinated by Brian Ford. The objective has
been to expand the range of generic airflow
strategies that can be explicitly evaluated,
extend the geographic applicability of the tool,
incorporate a more user-friendly graphic
interface, and release it in a web-based
platform to be accessible from any device. A
comparative evaluation of the attributes of
different existing tools (by Muriel Diaz and Emily
Vargas at the University of Biobio in Chile), and
a survey of user experience and a critical
evaluation of potential improvements to the
detailed structure of the tool, has formed the
basis of this further development.
A primary consideration has been to assist
definition of a reliable ventilation strategy
which will achieve the ventilation rates required
to provide a healthy environment and avoid the
risk of overheating. The provision of adaptive
opportunities for the occupants of buildings are
also placing more demands on designers in
relation to the health and comfort of building
users. All this must be achieved while
minimising carbon emissions. This tool has
therefore been designed to inform the
feasibility of a natural ventilation strategy and
to provide additional information on thermal
comfort and design considerations for the
successful development of the strategy.
This paper describes the structure and the main
features of this tool, the range of generic airflow
strategies, the building internal and external
conditions, and the calculation methods and
results.
2. Methodology
This program has been structured according to
the user profile: the architect/designer; which
differs from many engineer-oriented natural
ventilation guidelines and publications. This
approach leads to airflow rates as main
outcome, whereas the building layout, aperture
areas and stack heights become inputs required
for the calculation. This results in a quick input
process as in most cases the user is more
familiar with the building layout than with
airflow rates required.
During the decision-making process, a single
outcome with the airflow rates achieved
sometimes is not enough and additional
information about the airflow rates required for
fresh air or for cooling are extremely helpful.
The building context (internal and solar
conditions) also needs to be addressed to allow
a comparison of ‘required vs achieved’ before
considering any strategy as valid.
First, the user is asked to choose an airflow path
according to the building layout. Then, internal
and solar heat gains are defined in order to
estimate airflow rates required to provide fresh
air and for removing excess heat. Finally, a set
of outcomes including airflow rates, air
velocities and comfort prediction are plotted in
comparative charts to give to the user the
required information to evaluate the feasibility
of the selected strategy.
The ease of use and quick input process also
invites the user to explore other strategies
under different environmental conditions. This
also helps the user to understand the impact of
different factors (stack height, aperture areas,
internal-external temperatures) affecting the
buoyancy driven and wind driven airflow rates
achieved.
3. Natural ventilation strategies
The different space arrangements proposed in
the tool and the expressions used for the
calculations are aligned with the CIBSE AM10
(2005) document. The tool covers single sided
and cross ventilation through an open window
or two open vents in an isolated space (single
cell), a single-cell building with multiple inlets
and an atrium connected to wide open occupied
spaces, and a multi-cell building with occupied
spaces connected to a well-defined chimney,
closed to the surroundings except at the inlets.
A downdraught scenario is also available to
emulate a direct evaporative cooling system.
The multi-cell scenario (not covered in CIBSE
AM10, 2005) has been introduced in the range
of strategies available in order to emulate more
realistic situations with more than one space
connected to each other, commonly happening
in two (or more) storey buildings.
4. Airflow data input
The interface of the tool was carefully
considered. The majority of the user inputs are
shown over diagrams and images that help
understanding of each value. The diagrams also
provide a simple record of input assumptions.
Aperture heights, areas, and temperatures are
displayed as shown in figure 4.
Fig 4: Chimney (multi-cell) data input.
The effective area of each aperture is also
considered and a range of values are suggested
to the user according to the way the window
opens and the surrounding head, sill and jamb
details (figure 5).
Fig 5: Effective aperture (%) data input.
Some assumptions were also made to create a
quick and intuitive tool and reduce the number
of inputs required:
- Temperatures within the space are
assumed to be the same at any given
height.
- Indoor-outdoor temperature difference
is suggested for daytime and night-time
ventilation in order to obtain reliable
results.
- In scenarios with multiple apertures, the
neutral plane has been set at a height
between the top inlet and outlet and an
estimate of the outlet area required to
satisfy the selected flow pattern is
calculated based on this assumption and
the input data. This avoids unnecessary
iterative processes (implicit method)
performed by the user to find the
 required aperture areas and heights to
satisfy the selected flow pattern.

5. Internal and solar heat gains

A quantification of the total heat generated in

the space is required to estimate airflow rate
required for cooling.

Internal gains are defined by the number of

occupants, equipment and lighting gains.
Benchmark allowances for internal heat gains in
typical buildings are given from CIBSE (2015).
The number of occupants is also used to
calculate the airflow rate required to provide
fresh air in the space.
Fig 6: Section and floor plan inputs.

Direct and conductive solar gains are also

considered and calculated by the tool. From
experience, access to solar radiation data may
sometimes be difficult for some users, and in
order to avoid difficulties during the input
process, the tool estimates hourly clear sky
beam and diffuse irradiance on vertical and
horizontal surfaces for any month of the year
and extends the application of the ASHRAE
Clear Sky Model (2005) to both northern and
southern hemispheres. Only glazing and opaque
construction properties of the exposed building
elements are user inputs (figure 6).
6. Calculation methods and results.
The principle of mass conservation is applied in
each envelope flow model (equation 4.9, CIBSE
AM10, 2005) and the airflow rate through each
opening is expressed as a relationship between
the pressure difference across the opening by
means of the discharge coefficient and the
specified effective aperture area (equations
4.10 and 4.11, CIBSE AM10, 2005).
Discharge coefficients and wind pressure
coefficients have been set to default values
optimised for each airflow model. Wind
pressure coefficients have been taken from
CIBSE AM10 (2005).

The calculation process outputs airflow rates

driven by buoyancy and driven by buoyancy +
wind. Buoyancy driven airflow rates would
represent the worst case scenario and must be
considered during the feasibility assessment.
Buoyancy + wind driven airflow rates will inform
the user about the impact (and benefit) of wind
force in the chosen natural ventilation strategy.

Three charts are plotted to provide a general

overview of the performance of the natural
ventilation strategy. The first graph indicates
the airflow rates achieved in the given scenario,
and compares them with the airflow rates
required for the supply of fresh air and for
removing the total heat gains generated within
the space (required for cooling). The results are Fig 8: Air velocities (m/s) and physiological
given in m3/s, ACH, and Wh/m2 by means of the equivalent temperature reduction (ºC)
space volume and indoor-outdoor temperature
The third chart predicts comfort conditions
difference (figure 7).
within the occupied space based on the
adaptive comfort method from ASHRAE
Standard 55-2013. The chart plots the operative
temperature over the predicted comfort bands
referring to 80% and 90% of user acceptability
limits.

The operative temperature is calculated by the

software after considering the external and
internal temperature, the total heat gains
generated within the space and the heat losses
Fig 7: Air flow rates output (m3/s). achieved with natural ventilation (figure 9).

The second chart plots air velocities in m/s at The results and the user inputs are summarised
the inlets and outlets, together with the average in one A4 page which can be downloaded in PDF
room air velocity. The graphs also relate the air format for future revisions, presentations, etc.
velocities achieved with the physiological
equivalent temperature reduction according to
the operative temperature expression given in
CIBSE (2015), chapter 5.2.2. Under hot
conditions, air movement is a valid strategy to
improve comfort conditions of occupants and
must also be considered when assessing the
benefits of a natural ventilation strategy.

Fig 9: Predicted operative temperature and adaptive

comfort band. ASHRAE STANDARD 55-2013.
7. Summary.
This paper has described the development of an
early stage design tool for evaluating natural
ventilation options. The tool originated in
practice and has been applied in the design of a
number of buildings in different parts of the
world. It has now been improved and is to be
made more widely available. The purpose of
this improved tool is to assist the decision-
making process at early design stage, regarding
the feasibility of natural ventilation, and to
educate architects, designers and postgraduate
students in the principles of natural ventilation.
This program is currently under peer review
since May 2015 and by September 2015 is
expected to be introduced in five Master
Programmes in the UK, Chile, Italy and Spain.
The tool will then be made available via the
internet to both students and practitioners who
register on the website.
It is hoped that this tool will contribute to an
increase in the number of professionals with
expertise in designing for natural ventilation,
and that this will lead to wider application of
natural ventilation and passive cooling solutions
in future building projects. It is also hoped that
this process will contribute to a reduction in the
carbon emissions and maintenance costs
associated with mechanical ventilation and air
conditioning. Without wider commitment to
such alternatives, related carbon emissions will
continue to rise and the associated social and
economic benefits will be lost.
8. Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Emily Vargas, Muriel
Diaz and Maureen Trebilcock of the University
of BioBio (Chile) for their assistance and
collaboration during the development of the
View publication stats
tool; the postgraduate students from the
University of Westminster, University of
Nottingham and University College of London
(UCL) for providing us with useful feedback
when approaching the last stage of
development; and David Etheridge for his
helpful comments during the peer review
process.
9. References
ANSI/ASHRAE (2013). Standard 55-2013, Thermal
Environmental Conditions for Human
Occupancy. American Society of Heating
Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers.
ASHRAE (2005). Handbook: Fundamentals - SI
edition. American Society of Heating
Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers.
CIBSE (2015). Environmental Design. Guide A, 8th
Edition. Chartered Institution of Building
Services Engineers, London.
CIBSE (2005). Natural Ventilation in Non-Domestic
Buildings. Applications Manual AM10.
Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers, London.
Etheridge, D. (2011). Natural Ventilation of
Buildings: Theory, Measurement and Design.
Wiley.
Ford, B., R. Schiano-Phan, E. Francis (2010). The
Architecture & Engineering of Downdraught
Cooling. PHDC Press.
Givoni, B. (1994). Passive and Low Energy Cooling of
Buildings. Van Nostrand Reinhold.