Objectives:

At the end of the sessions, the student should be able to: Principles of Wind Flow
1. Review the need for adequate climatic design. Wind is a stream of air flowing relative to the Earth's surface, usually

2. Contrast the relationship between architectural design and a tropical climate. more or less parallel to the ground. It is caused by a pressure gradient, i.e.,

Week 4 a difference in atmospheric pressure between two points, lines, or

3. Reflect on, and learn from, local, vernacular architecture as a means to
understand solutions to climate whose origin stems from a condition of surfaces. If pressure were the only factor, such wind, called Eulerian wind,
scarcity, would flow directly from areas of high pressure to those of low pressure. In

4. Establish the student with creative architectural solutions to conditions of the free atmosphere (except immediately above the equator), the wind is
scarcity. deflected by the Coriolis effect and tends to flow more along the isobars
than across them.
J. Gentilli & J. E. Oliver

Principles of Wind Flow Principles of Wind Flow Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors

Wind damage to buildings has increased in recent Natural Ventilation

 How the wind flows around buildings
decades because of:
 Wind flow problems around tall buildings  Ventilation, is used to define air
 How to assess the risk of wind problems  More extreme weather events (climate change) change in building from fan-driven
 How to solve problems created by the wind  Lighter construction mechanical system or from natural
 Light cladding air-flow through ventilating
• Buildings are subject to the force of the wind and possible damage.
 Low / flat roofs openings.
• Buildings deflect wind to pedestrian level to create unpleasant or
dangerous conditions.  Tall buildings in low rise urban environments
• Study of wind effects on buildings is called
Architectural Aerodynamics.

Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors

Principles of Air flow Characteristics of Wind Patterns Characteristics of Wind Patterns

1. Air flows from high Pressure to a low
 Windward side has a positive high
pressure area. Wind
pressure, leeward side has a
2. Air pressure inertia. Once set in + -
motion, it tends to continue to flow negative pressure.
in its initial direction until some
 Air enters through openings located
intervening force is met.
in the positive pressure zone; exits
3. Air flows through the path of least
resistance. through negative pressure zone. Wind

+ -
 Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors

Characteristics of Wind Patterns Characteristics of Wind Patterns Characteristics of Wind Patterns

 Vertical deflectors particularly wall
 Due to thermal forces, air enters a  Wind deflectors can be used horizontally projections placed parallel to the
building through the lower level or vertically to redirect air flow. incident wind prevent wind shadows or
Horizontal louvers, slats and overhangs
openings and escapes through dead zones of air but when placed to
should be placed at a higher level to the main flow can create a wind
openings at higher portions of the
redirect air motion onto the occupancy shadow.
building.
zones of the building.  Placing openings at the foot of partition
will induce air.

Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors

Venturi Effect
STACK EFFECT / CHIMNEY EFFECT CROSS VENTILATION
The rate of flow of air
The tendency of air or gas in a The circulation of fresh air inside the building will
shaft or other vertical space to through open windows, be increased by
rise when heated, creating a doors or other openings on making the outlet
draft that draws in cooler air or opposite sides of a room. opening bigger than
gas from below. the inlet.

Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors

Wind Characteristics Wind Behavior within a Room PARTITION EFFECT

1. The windward side has a positive high pressure, while the • Wind is created by our
leeward side has a negative pressure.
atmosphere in motion. Partition Parallel to
2. Air enters buildings through openings located in the
positive pressure zone, and exits through openings located • The faster it moves the more Air Stream
at the negative pressure zone. pressure it will exert against a
3. Due to thermal forces, air enters a building through the
lower level openings and escapes through openings stationary object or surface in its
located at a higher portion of the building. flow path. Partition Perpendicular to
4. Studies from UNESCO show that the average indoor speed
• This type of pressure is generally Air Stream
increases rapidly by increasing the ratio of the window
with wall width to about 50%. Beyond that, the rate of referred to as a positive pressure.
increase is much smaller. www.wausauwindow.com
 Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors

PARTITION EFFECT AIR STREAM PATTERNS AIR STREAM PATTERNS

Partition Inclined to
Air Stream

By providing openings above

and below the partition, the
air movement within the
building improves

Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Inducing Air Movement in Building Interiors Effect of Landscape Elements

AIR STREAM PATTERNS AIR STREAM PATTERNS  Hedges and shrubs deflect air away from
inlets and cause reduction in air motion
indoor.
By projecting slats as projection, wind flow can be
directed downwards.
 Should not be planted at a distance of
more than 2.00 meters or 3.00 meters from
the building.
 Air movement in the leeward parts of the
Louvers can deflect the air stream
upwards, or down the floor building can be enhanced by planting a
low hedges at a distance of 2 meters from
Air flow differ on different levels
the building.
 Trees with large foliage mass deflect the
outdoor wind downward and promote air
motion in the habitable zones in the
Projecting sunshades produce a bad
Clear-storey ventilation will not improve air interior.
movement at low level.
upward air flow

Effect of Landscape Elements Effect of Landscape Elements Effect of Landscape Elements

 Plants and trees are among the most

 Trees and shrub can be used
effective and desirable elements that can
to channel air laterally into
be used to direct air flow.
close or secluded pocket.
 Trees offer very good protection from the
 Can be used to create high
wind direction behind the foliage.
and low pressure areas to aid
 Areas adjacent to the ground below the Hedge Downwind Hedge Upwind movement of air along
foliage is relatively in free air.
 Combination of hedge and tree can be used in many ways to achieve
flow control and visual control.
Effect of Landscape Elements Wind Shadows Wind Shadows

 Air speed increases at the trunk

level, air flow is forced upward
 If the length of the tree is eight
and reversed through the  The wind shadow of a times (8x) the height, the wind
building.
well-foliage tree is shadow will be (6x) the height.

approximately 2 times the Beyond the ratio of length to

height, the wind shadow remains
height of the tree.
of the same depth.

THANK YOU !