IJV1

Twenty five cellular offices in the Wilkinson Building at the University of Sydney, Australia are ventilated through operable windows and doors and have been retrofitted with a supplementary reverse cycle cooling/heating system with an occupant controlled fancoil unit in each room. Energy consumption and occupancy and temperature status of rooms have been monitored since the system was commissioned at the end of 1997.

This paper is based on the results of Subtask B of the HybVent Project. It presents a critical review of the literature and recent developments in analysis methods for natural and hybrid ventilation in buildings. Ideally, analytical methods aimed at modelling hybrid ventilation systems should incorporate at least three key aspects i.e: the natural ventilation mode, the mechanical ventilation mode and the control strategy. Depending on the input parameters used within the control strategy, thermal comfort and indoor air quality related parameters may also need to be predicted.

Calculations using CFD are presented for adventitious openings in which the flow is not fully developed. It is shown that the quadratic equation performs significantly better than the power law i.e. a recent claim that the power law equation is preferable to the quadratic equation under such circumstances is not supported. Other recent claims that have been made to support the power law in preference to the quadratic are also examined and reasons are given as to why they are unfounded for conditions of typical, naturally driven air infiltration.

Measurements of metabolic carbon dioxide concentration made in four classrooms in two schools are reported for both occupied and unoccupied periods. Measurements were taken for approximately one week in each classroom during the unheated season and the time-varying ventilation rates estimated. The results of the experiments show CO2 concentrations that are far beyond the guideline value of 1000 ppm (the maximum concentration during the occupied period was 3756 ppm). Calculated air supply rates vary from unacceptably low levels, to rates that are in line with guidance.

In the following, measurements of CO2 levels in seven classrooms in four schools are reported. Measurements were taken for approximately one week in each classroom during the heating season and the time-varying ventilation rates estimated. The results of the experiments show CO2 concentrations which are far beyond the guideline value of 1000 ppm (the average concentration during the occupied period was 1957 ppm). In some classrooms the level exceeded the range of the detector (4000ppm).

Results of a CFD simulation of the wind-assisted stack ventilation of a single-storey enclosure with high and low-level ventilation openings are presented and compared with both the laboratory measurements and the analytical model of the flow and thermal stratification developed by Hunt and Linden (2001). Comparisons show that close quantitative agreement is obtained between the thermal stratification predicted by the CFD and the analytical model and experimental measurements.

The paper presents examples of hybrid ventilation and control strategies in office and educational buildings from the IEA ECBCS Annex 35 HybVent case studies. The purpose is to extract the lessons learned in the case studies about the control strategy used. The conclusions are that in each building project the control strategy has to be carefully designed and operated, not only in relation to the general building design and the ventilation systems in the building, but also in relation to occupants habits, reactions and expectations to indoor climate and comfort.

Using the wind pressure difference method to estimate the cross ventilation potentials of a building at a particular site, the appropriate wind frequency data at the building site are important (Aynsley et al, 1977, Su, 2001). This study investigated wind frequency data available from the data recording site at Auckland airport and discusses how to obtain the building site wind frequency data from the original wind frequency data recorded from such sources.

Ventilation is one of the most important measures to dilute indoor air pollutants. In order to maintain a clean indoor air environment, not only the total ventilation rate of the building but also the distribution of outdoor air to each area must be taken into consideration. A performance evaluation of various ventilation systems, which have different air supply and exhaust equipment, has been made. This investigation was undertaken over a heating period, in a full-scale test house.