Natural Ventilation Techniques for Environmental Passive Architecture

The research aimed to evaluate the efficiency of applying different natural ventilation passive techniques within a residential space on the indoor ventilation rates and thermal comfort within local hot summer climate of Cairo. The research revealed that the techniques that depend on thermal buoyancy effect could achieve significant high ventilation rates within local hot summer climate of high solar radiation. Applying comparative analysis, Double wall technique, with variables of air gap, construction material, technique opening dimensions, and position, was investigated using EnergyPlus as a CFD simulation engine to study system efficiency on flow rate and thermal comfort using only passive convective strategy. Investigation was conducted within both day and night conditions and all orientations of solar exposure. CFD simulations showed that applying double wall technique with the given configurations could enhance ventilation rates at all orientations, and thermal comfort levels at eastern orientation. In case of high quality of outdoor air, these high ventilation rates could improve the indoor air quality levels.