Ventilation Louvres

Is natural ventilation the best, most energy efficient way to cool a building?

Public Comments

1. yes
2. The underground cities (in Cappadocia, Turkey) are good places to look at. Obviously unoccupied now and open to tourists, it still has the original air ducts. I've personally experienced being a few hundred feet under ground in the 100+ degree Farenheit temperature and you still get a cool breeze in some of the rooms. Yes, a breeze, in an underground chamber. It was all due to well planned ducts and vents, and the flow of cooling and warming air by nature.
3. based on my years of construction and study of environmental issues,the best form of air circulation for cooling and warming a dwelling is found in the study of the humble termite,with further study ,a good example of the adaptation of this principle is the 7 star hotel in Dubai.I will give a brief explanation in simple terms.Hot air rises,cool air falls.if we allow hot air into a building then allow it to exit via a tower system then the natural circulation provides both warmth and air flow out of the building.When it is cool we remove the cold air from below the tower and drag in warm air from the top.Termites use this principle to warm up and cool down their mounds.We still need some mechanical method to assist nature with its task...Hope this helps...John
4. I am a mechanical engineer and work in power generation, HVAC, and energy services. There are easy answers to your question, but none of them by anyone who knows what he or she is talking about. Before your question can be answered I have to know a few things: 1. Where do you live? The outdoor temperature and humidity will determine how well you can cool your home. 2. How many people live in the building? The number of occupants per square foot determine the load. 3. What cooling loads do you have in the building. Look for things like stoves, computers, hot water, and so on. 4. What is the ratio of ventilation openings to square footage inside? 5. What are the walls made from? 6. What kind of roof do you have? 7. How much of the time do you have direct sun exposure? 8. What temperature do you feel is comfortable? 9. How will you measure efficiencies? 10. What maximum humidity will you allow? See what I mean? A desert is ventilated for free but is not comfortable. So is a rain forest, but it also has mold.