VIP 03: Natural ventilation in urban areas

Natural ventilation is one of the most effective passive cooling techniques. Because of the serious reduction of the wind speed in the urban environment and the corresponding reduction of the air flow rate, for both single and cross configurations, the cooling load on the buildings inside the canyons is much higher than the one of buildings where wind is not obstructed. Thus, it is very important to consider, other techniques than windows to enhance air flow in urban buildings. Traditional techniques like solar chimneys or wind towers can be easily integrated in urban buildings and may contribute significantly to increase natural air flow through the building.