The School of the Built Environment at De Montfort University represents the first in a new breed of naturally ventilated buildings. Bart Stevens reveals the findings of recent heat-load tests carried out to establish the effectiveness of the building's passive engineering.
Adequate ventilation is essential for the well being and health of building occupants and the provision of fresh air was traditionally met by natural means. This approach has partly given way to air conditioning in response to the perceived need to cool modern buildings, which tended to suffer from high solar heat gains, poor natural daylighting and use of many energy intensive appliances. Increased concern over the adverse environmental impact of energy use has encouraged the design and construction of energy efficient buildings, many of them suited to natural ventilation.
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