Split-duct roof ventilators or windcatchers are used to provide both supply and extract ventilation to the spaces which they serve. However, buildings are often erected in conditions where there is no prevailing wind direction. An investigation into four and six segment windcatchers to determine their relative performances under different wind conditions was undertaken using scale models in a wind tunnel. Conclusions indjciate that six segment windcatchers have a more predictable, reliable performance in uncertain or variablewind conditions.

Kakegawa City Hall, completed in March 1996, contains a sixstorey high glass-walled atrium integrated into the open-plan main office areas via stepped terraces. To save energy while still providing a comfortable indoor environment, the type of HVAC system adopted required careful consideration. Frost prevention fans normally used for tea plantations were installed on the terraces to blow warm air downwards during the heating season. Transferring air from the ventilation windows in the office spaces to those in the upper parts of the atrium also achieved effective natural ventilation.

Island and coastal areas in northern and western regions of Scotland are characterised by comparatively high levels of wind and rain - a combination that increases the wind-chill cooling of buildings and leads to higher energy consumption. This paper describes a low-energy housing demonstration project in the Orkney Islands, an island group located off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The background to the project is discussed, in particular, why there was a need for a more appropriate design, the features incorporated, and the main findings of the research

The central purpose of this paper is to develop and test a case for compulsory pressurization testing for new dwellings. The authors have argued elsewhere in favour of such a policy. The paper reviews the available information on airtightness in the UK housing stock, the impact of airtightness on ventilation and fabric heat losses, the information that is available on the costs of making houses airtight and the logistics of pressurisation testing.