Assessing the Performance of a Naturally Ventilated Office Building

This paper provides an overview of the performance of a low-energy naturally ventilated building and an explanation of special methods required to assess it. Through monitoring, measuring and observing a naturally ventilated office building in a temperate climate, we now have a better understanding and can better assess the energy, ventilation, thermal and overall building performance and evaluation methods that are unique to naturally ventilated office buildings. The lack of mechanical cooling and ventilation resulted in 74 kWh/m2 (6.8 kWh/ft2) less energy use 50% electrical energy savings in the naturally ventilated building when compared to a similarly configured mechanically ventilated one located in the same climate and providing the same amount of outside air and about the same lighting and plug loads per unit floor area. The findings and lessons learned from studying this building can be applied to improve the design of future naturally
ventilated buildings.