Inducing vents and their effect on air flow patterns, thermal comfort and air quality.

It is possible to make high wall inducing vents with low air resistance, combined with natural ventilation or a mechanical exhaust. By means of these vents draughts may be prevented and high efficiencies in fresh air and contaminant removal may be realised, the latter being determined by the position of the outlet. Existing equations related to air flow patterns and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computer programs can be used, provided that the equations and the CFD program (Phoenics) are modified in order to get better agreement with measurements.

Energy-efficient and environmentally responsible office building.

As Canada's first C-2000 office building, Green on the Grand was designed to be energy-efficient and environmentally responsible. Computer simulations and detailed calculations compared the energy consumption of Green on the Grand with that of a similar office building built to contemporary energyefficiency standards (ASH RAE 90.1 ). 

Stimulating simulation. Computer tools in building services.

The application of computer tools in construction is set for a revolution as integrated software packages come close to fruition. But there are barriers to the increased use of electronic design tools, notably worries over validation, the skills needed both in the design studio and on site and the quality assurance issues of correctly defining product elements and the design criteria. Over the next three articles, we examine the potential for using integrated computer design tools.

Air flow distribution in a naturally ventilated light weight room.

The objective of this research is to investigate air flow distribution inside a light weight test room which is single sided naturally ventilated. The ventilation rate into the room is controlled by adjusting four sets of louvres. The local outside air temperature, humidity, pressure, wind velocity and direction were measured. Inside the room the velocity and direction of the inflow air across the high and low level openings, temperature and velocity distribution at four locations and six levels across the room were recorded.

Thermal comfort simulations for different structured naturally ventilated room.

The objective of this research was to investigate thermal comfort with respect to the mass of the building inside a test room which is naturally ventilated. The room is an existing portable cabin of light mass, located at Loughborough University. The comfort parameters for different mass of the cabin were predicted. For this purpose a simulation package, is used to calculate the thermal parameters defined by Fanger. Medium and high thermal masses were added to the test room and their effects on thermal comfort were investigated.

The impact of surface air movement on material emissions.

The effects of surface air movement on material emissions were investigated experimentally. A field study was carried out to understand the characteristics of surface air movement in real rooms, and a velocity-controlled test chamber was designed and built, based on the field study results, to provide a uniform mean air flow and boundary layer condition over the test area. An extensive experimental study on the effects of air movement on material emissions was carried out, under different mean flow velocities and turbulence fluctuations, by using the small velocity-controlled test chamber.

The passive gas tracer method for monitoring ventilation rates in buildings.

BRE has developed a new technique for measuring time-averaged ventilation rates in occupied buildings using a perfluorocarbon tracer gas. It was conceived as a way of solving the problems which arise when conventional tracer gas techniques are used in large or multi-roomed buildings. Potentially, the new technique will allow routine performance monitoring of both natural ventilation and forced air supply systems, thereby helping users to save energy and to meet the health, safety and comfort requirements of the building's occupants.

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