Mohit Mehta
Year:
2005
Bibliographic info:
Building Simulation, 2005, Montreal, Canada, 6 p

This paper is part of a larger research to ‘theoretically’ review the application of natural ventilation to commercial buildings, the potential advantages these systems offer, and some pitfalls that must be considered. Physical design strategies and the analytical methods developed to support them have been reviewed, and then a modeling study of a representative naturally ventilated building recently constructed in the Netherlands is presented. A multizone coupled thermal (EnergyPlus)/airflow (COMIS 3.0) simulation tool is tested while being used to investigate the performance of this building in a North American climate. This paper describes the process I have followed to explore the practicality/effectiveness of the tool as well as the building and my related findings. In the hope that this tool be used more often for whole-building analysis, with greater ease and quickness than the more complicated, expensive and difficult to master CFD tools. Such a study is a step that would enable designers and clients to select the passive ventilation strategy in suitable North American climates.