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Natural Ventilation
Natural Ventilation
Natural Ventilation can found in any old building that doesn’t have any HVAC systems.
Natural ventilation is able to provide a space with an adequate amount of comfortable
and healthy in door air quality. This type of ventilation is very cost effective due to using
natural elements to cool a space.
Natural Ventilation works with pressure and natural buoyancy of temperature and
humidity to move fresh air though out a building. The location and position of the
building is important to be in the direction of the wind pattern. This can be done with
looking at the “rose wind” diagrams. The size of the building and the spaces linking to
each other must have a continuous flow from one to another.
Types of Natural Ventilation
SINGLE SIDED VENTILATION- Spaces that only have
one window that will allow cool air in and carries the
warm out.
STACK VENTILATION- When cool air is let in through
lower windows and travels through the space to an open area
and continues up because of its natural buoyancy to higher
windows or vents. Similar to a vacuum effect.
SINGLE SIDED DOUBLE OPENING- Allows the cool air
in the bottom portion and removes the warm air through
the top portion.
CROSS VENTILATION- The placement of windows in the
space are located across from each other to form a vacuum
effect.
PASSIVE COOLING- Also know as night purging. When a
building is cooled during the night allowing cool air to come in
through the windows and then vented through the roof or atrium.
Images taken from www.dyerenvironmental.com
Photo by Anton Grassi
ADVANTAGES AND DISAVANTAGES
Advantages of Natural Ventilation
Can have a annual savings of 10-30% of total energy
consumption
Prevention of structural damage because of moisture through
natural ventilation
Low repair and maintenance
Increase in value of property
Positive image for companies
Disadvantages of Natural Ventilation
Uncontrollable and doesn’t have a uniform temperature
Hard to meet codes for fire ratings
Challenging for interior designer to keep spaces open and
flowing correctly
Designer Tips
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Consider the use of clerestories or vented skylights
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Provide attic ventilation
Provide ridge Vents
Naturally ventilated buildings should be narrow and no more than 45ft wide
Maximize wind-induced ventilation by placing the ridge of a building perpendicular to
the summer winds
Use low partition walls to allow maximum ventilation
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Atriums are a good source of ventilation and light for internal spaces
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REFERENCES
Whole Building Design Guide
http://www.wbdg.org/resources/naturalventilation.php
U.S Department of Energy
www.energysavers.gov
National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration
www.noaa.gov