Natural ventilation as a passive cooling strategy for multi-story buildings: analytic vertical skycourt formations

Abstract

Natural ventilation has been one of the most important passive cooling strategies for conditioning the built environment. However, several challenges influence natural ventilation in multi-story buildings. Consequently, skycourt presents a passive cooling strategy to provide a direct airflow into the space to cool the surroundings, increase thermal comfort, and reduce the need for mechanical ventilation. Therefore, this study proposes utilizing the skycourt as a passive cooling strategy that helps to enhance natural ventilation in multi-story buildings. The aim of the research is achieved by analyzing various global examples of buildings, based on the skycourt, in different climatic zones; dry, tropical, temperate, and cold. These examples covered all classifications of multi-story buildings (e.g., mid-rise, high-rise, and skyscrapers). Through this analysis, the influence of skycourt in providing natural ventilation is determined, which contributes to reduce energy consumption. Finally, a reference matrix for designers and decision-makers in the four studied climatic zones can be conducted to promote natural ventilation using the skycourt strategy.

Solar Chimney Performance Driven Air Ventilation Promotion: An Investigation of Various Configuration Parameters

“…For natural ventilation, air motion through the building is based on wind force, thermal or temperature forces, or the stack effect [63]. For instance, a wind tower can be considered as a passive ventilation configuration, hence a low-carbon component in vernacular architecture based on air motion to provide both passive cooling and thermal comfort as well as reduce energy consumption [12]. On the other hand, a SC, using solar-induced buoyancy-driven convection [42], is based on thermal or temperature forces and invests heat gain to induce natural cooling in various buildings [28].…”

“…The fourth-position publication with 181 citations was based on the experimental investigation of SC and Trombe walls to predict heat transfer and mass flow for natural ventilation [42]. On the other hand, the fifth and seventh positions with 177 and 138 citations, respectively, provided a thorough analysis of the evolution of wind towers and SCs, emphasizing the many cooling methods and power technologies that can be incorporated with wind tower systems to enhance ventilation and thermal performance [12,58]. A numerical simulation of the airflow, heat transport, and power output According to the thematic analysis, further efforts are required to develop important issues like "numerical analysis" and "optimization", in addition to "building design" in SCs and their related effects on air quality and ventilation.…”

“…As such, the yearly energy consumption of buildings is 42%, primarily used for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) as well as power generation [9][10][11]. Therefore, an increasing recognition of the importance of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly approaches in providing the building design has emphasized the incorporation of natural ventilation solutions in buildings [12][13][14][15][16]. Passive solutions for buildings can provide high durability to promote indoor air quality (IAQ) and indoor thermal comfort and decrease the energy consumption, besides the carbon footprint, by using passive ventilation solutions including, in particular, atria, courtyards, double walls, wind towers, and solar chimneys (SCs) [12,[17][18][19][20][21][22].…”

“…Therefore, an increasing recognition of the importance of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly approaches in providing the building design has emphasized the incorporation of natural ventilation solutions in buildings [12][13][14][15][16]. Passive solutions for buildings can provide high durability to promote indoor air quality (IAQ) and indoor thermal comfort and decrease the energy consumption, besides the carbon footprint, by using passive ventilation solutions including, in particular, atria, courtyards, double walls, wind towers, and solar chimneys (SCs) [12,[17][18][19][20][21][22]. SCs can be considered as a significant green passive design solution that can enhance both passive ventilation and solar energy proportionately [23][24][25][26][27][28][29].…”