PASSIVE COOLING

Passive cooling also includes the use of air motion to shift the
comfort zone to higher temperatures

Minimize heat gain in the building. Strategies at this level

include the appropriate use of shading, orientation, color,
vegetation, insulation, daylight, and the control of internal heat
sources
Passive cooling is much more dependent on climate than passive heating. Thus, the
passive cooling strategies for hot and dry climates are very different from those for
hot and humid climates

In hot and dry climates, one usually finds buildings with few and
small windows, light surface colors, and massive construction,
such as adobe, brick, or stone
 In hot and dry climates, maximize shading and thermal mass
while minimizing daytime natural ventilation!

Wherever the humidity is low, evaporative cooling is very

effective. Fountains, pools, water trickling down walls,
and transpiration from plants can all be used for
evaporative cooling.
In very humid climates, mass is a liability and very lightweight structures are best

The best solution was to minimize the walls. High ceilings allow the air to
stratify, and vents at the gable or ridge allow the hottest air to escape
PASSIVE COOLING SYSTEMS
Cooling with Ventilation
Radiant Cooling
Evaporative Cooling
Earth Cooling
Dehumidification with a desiccant
Comfort ventilation
brings in outdoor air, both during the day and at night. The air
is then passed directly over people to increase evaporative
cooling on the skin. Although thermal comfort might be
achieved, the daytime air is actually heating the building
.
Night-flush cooling is quite different. With this technique, cool
night air is introduced to flush out the heat of the building,
while during the day very little outside air is brought indoors so
that the heat gain to the building is minimized.
 Comfort ventilation
brings in outdoor air, both during the day and at night. The air
is then passed directly over people to increase evaporative
Cooling with Ventilation
cooling on the skin. Although thermal comfort might be
achieved, the daytime air is actually heating the building
.

Night-flush cooling
cool night air is introduced to flush out the heat of the building,
while during the day very little outside air is brought indoors so
that the heat gain to the building is minimized.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF AIRFLOW
Reason for the flow of air
Types of airflow
High- and low-pressure areas
The type of pressure created over the roof depends on the slope of the roof
Bernoulli effect

In the Bernoulli effect, an

increase in the velocity of a fluid
decreases its static pressure.
Stack effect
AIRFLOW THROUGH BUILDINGS

Site Conditions

Window Orientation and Wind Direction

Window Locations
Cross ventilation is very effective because air is both pushed and pulled through the building by a
positive pressure on the windward side and a negative pressure on the leeward side
Fin Walls
Fin walls can greatly increase the ventilation through windows on the same side of a building by changing the
pressure distribution
Horizontal Overhangs and Airflow
Inlet and Outlet Sizes and Locations

Generally, the inlet and outlet size should be about the same, since the amount of ventilation is mainly a
function of the smaller opening.

However, if one opening is smaller, it should usually be the inlet, because that maximizes the velocity of the
indoor airstream, and it is the velocity that has the greatest effect on comfort
Fans
In most climates, wind is not always present in sufficient quantity when needed, and usually there is less
wind at night than during the day. Thus, fans are often required to augment the wind
Partitions and Interior Planning
Open plans are preferable because partitions increase the resistance to
airflow, thereby decreasing total ventilation
 EXAMPLE OF VENTILATION DESIGN

Airflow Diagrams

Determine a common summerwind direction from local

weather data or from the wind roses given in

By inspection, determine the

positive- and negative pressure
areas around the building and
record these on the overlay
On an overlay of the plan and site, draw a series
of arrows parallel to the chosen wind direction on
the upwind side of the building and their
continuation on the downwind side

By means of a trial-and-error process,

trace each windward arrow
through or around the building
to meet its downwind counterpart

When the airstream is forced to

flow vertically to another floor
plan, show the point where it
leaves any plan by a circle with
a dot

Since spaces that are not crossed

by airflow lines might not receive
enough ventilation, relocate windows,
add fins, etc., to change the
airflow pattern as necessary.
This technique is based on work by Prof. Murray Milne, UCLA.