Natural ventilation in passive design

Environment
Published: 31 May 1996
Edited: 23 August 2018
by Richard Aynsley
ISSN: 2207=466X

This note was reviewed and approved for currency in August 2018. 

This note provides a background introduction to the lost art of designing for natural ventilation, and discusses some of the more useful rules of thumb. It considers the principal factors affecting air movement, wind pressure and thermal comfort. 

A 3D CFD study of internal cross ventilation of a house.
A 3D CFD study of internal cross ventilation of a house. Colours indicate air velocity 1m above floor level (Australian Institute of Tropical Architecture, JCU 1998)

Originally published in May 1996, this Note was subsequently updated by Richard Aynsley in May 2001, in May 2007 and August 2014. 

 Note Summary
  1. Introduction
  2. Impacts to natural ventilation
  3. Pressure and airflow
  4. Thermal comfort criteria
  5. Other considerations
  6. Conclusion