Fungal-contaminated air handling systems have been implicated as a source for the dispersal of spores into the indoor environment, potentially serving as a route of exposure to building occupants. Because quantitative data are lacking, this study was conducted to measure the dispersal of spores from fungal colonies growing on three types of duct material: galvanized metal, rigid fibrous glass ductboard, and fiberglass duct liner.

Passive solar cooling for hot humid areas represents an important field for innovation, if we want to solve comfort needs in spaces (especially housing) designed to reduce economic, technical and health requirements. In urban areas or deep valleys and rain forests, which are common in most of the tropical equatorial countries, external breeze is not frequent and air speeds are too low to produce cooling, using a simple cross ventilation system. Since 1982 the author has developed new designs and constructions using passive solar techniques.

This study investigated the pressure flow characteristics over a number of fullscale modulated louvered windows (MLW). The various MLW parameters included louver inclination angle (8), depth (L), aperture (d) and the ratio of aperture/depth (d/L%). Airflow models were developed using both power law and quadratic model equations. By examining the coefficient of determination (r2) for both model equations, it was evident that the quadratic model equation suggested the best curves fit.

This paper discusses the use of the 'wind wing wall' as a device for the passive low-energy 'comfort cooling' of the occupants in the interior of a tall building. The case study building is a 21-storey, high-rise office tower. the UMNO building designed by Hamzah and Yeang located in Penang, Malaysia which has been designed to be airconditioned, but can also be naturally ventilated if conditions are suitable. The paper describes cfd air flow modelling of the wind effects on the building and the effect on internal temperatures, air movement and ventilation.

This paper examines theoretically the effects of wind on buoyancy-driven ventilation via some new analytical solutions recently developed by the authors. Three air change rate parameters are introduced to characterise respectively the effects of thermal buoyancy, the envelope heat loss and the wind force. The wind can either assist or oppose the airflow. For the first time, it has been found that for opposing winds, there are two stable ventilation flow rates for a given set of wind and thermal parameter, i.e. the natural ventilation flow exhibits hysteresis.

Research and development of new-type passive solar houses are the main purpose of this paper. The proposed passive solar houses haven an air circulation system in brick walls combined with passive heating and cooling systems. A prototype model house with a solar collector and Trombe walls was constructed and its thermal performance was measured to evaluate this new system. The efficiency on the real size model house with attached green houses is discussed through thermal performance simulations.