A case study on natural ventilation in buildings

Abstract

The aim of this project was to study the basic principals behind natural ventilation, and selectively apply the most suited to the Manoel Island project, which was chosen as a case study. The merits of the proposed mechanisms were then analyzed by means of wind tunnel tests performed at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Malta, Tal-Qroqq. The first part of this dissertation explains the processes that drive an air current, in and around buildings, highlighting past and present technologies used to capture this energy. The site of Manoel Island is then discussed to assess the possibilities that it offers with respect to natural ventilation. Following this appraisal, a proposal for a natural ventilation system suited to the site was presented within the text. A geometrically similar model of the proposed mechanism was set up in the wind tunnel, and the results obtained during testing, were indicative of the validity of the system. The conclusion gives an assessment of the results and finally explains the author's reflections on the viability of such a proposal.