Assessment of natural ventilation potential of a region using degree-hours estimated on global weather data

The applicability of natural ventilation depends strongly on climate. The potential of natural ventilation represents a measure of the feasibility of natural ventilation in a specific climate. A quantitative measure of this potential, expressed in degree-hours, may be estimated based on adaptive thermal comfort and monthly mean temperature. Degree-hours for natural ventilation represent the sum of the degree-hours for cooling saved by using natural ventilation when adaptive thermal comfort is considered. Degree-hours are estimated from monthly-average temperatures and standard deviations supplied by Global Resource Information Database (GRID), Geneva centre. This method is applicable at the scale of a region and gives a measure of climate suitability. Local specificity of o site or of a building may be taken into account.