Why Is Natural Ventilation in Buildings Important

 


Ventilation is a process that involves replacing stale air with fresh air. Without proper ventilation, homes and buildings will be susceptible to stagnant air, which with bacteria and carbon dioxide, make the air indoors much more polluted than the air outdoors. 

What is Natural Ventilation?

Natural ventilation allows fresh air to enter a home or a building from the outside. The new air pushes the dirtier warm air outside through an opening on the roof, windows, or other openings.

It is among the most practical means to decrease the energy usage in structures and buildings as it uses the power of the wind and buoyancy to allow fresh air to enter and spread within the structure. It is guided by the varying pressures between different building sections and between the pressures indoors and outdoors. 

Natural ventilation also provides certain benefits like:

  • Health benefits, and 

  • Lower power costs


Kinds of Natural Ventilation

There are primarily two forms of natural ventilation in buildings:


  • Wind-Based Ventilation

Wind driven ventilation is also called cross ventilation and unilateral ventilation. It depends on the wind to force the exterior air into a structure through an opening or inlet (open windows, wall louvres, gables, etc.), while an outlet pushes the interior air out via a roof vent or a higher window-like opening). 


  • Buoyancy Operated Ventilation

Also referred to as stack-effect ventilation, buoyancy driven ventilation occurs due to the difference in density between indoor air and outside air. The variance in density results in warm air rising above the cooler air and creating an airstream moving upwards. As any wind consultant will attest, the bigger the temperature differences between a structure’s different sections, the more effective the buoyancy effect is. 


Making Full Use of Natural Ventilation

Owing to the benefits of natural ventilation, most architects and building designers tend to favor its use. However, with natural ventilation, changes in the indoor air temperature and differences in air quality may be experienced. A wind engineer uses several tools to determine the effect that natural ventilation can have on a building. 

A wind study is usually conducted to ascertain the best way to use natural ventilation. The latest developments in computer technology have enabled the effective prediction and control of airflow within natural ventilation systems. Most modern structures use both natural and mechanical ventilation for optimal benefits of the ventilation systems. 

 

 

 



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