atria

This paper includes the results of empirical measurements in and computational modeling of atria. Five atria with different designs were considered. In each atrium reverberation times and sound distribution patterns were obtained via measurements. Subsequently, the spaces were modeled in a room acoustic simulation application. The comparison of measurement and simulation results support the formulation of recommendations toward a more reliable use of modeling tools for proper acoustical design and analysis of atria.

Buoyancy-driven natural ventilation in ventilation shafts is investigated with a small scale physical experiment within a duct and CFD simulations of an office building. For a fixed exhaust opening, smaller shafts lead to higher flow rates in upper floors of a multi-storey building with a shared ventilation shaft. These higher flow rates are caused by increased vertical momentum within the smaller shafts that induce flow through upper floors, an effect referred to as the “ejector effect”.

Evidence suggests that a significant number of large highly-glazed spaces have major design flaws that lead to energy wastage and discomfort. Provision to control solar gains are generally insufficient in these buildings, which can lead to excessively high temperatures during the summer. Besides, the solutions implemented to overcome these issues usually have a high energy cost, whereas passive techniques may well limit these problems. This paper deals with design issues related to solar protections.

One of the recent major developments to the ESP (Environmental System Performance) building/plant energy simulation package has been the integration of a technique capable of performing dynamic air flow analysis as part of the building thermal analysis, thereby permitting simultaneous dynamic modelling of energy and air flow within the building envelope. This paper briefly describes the model and its data requirements. It compares and discusses differences in zone energy requirements and temperature levels (obtained from ESP) when 1. applying traditional air changes rates and, 2.