Enhancing Natural Ventilation in Family House Buildings in Hungary by Integrating Passive Air Conduction Systems

Abstract

This research is specifically dealing with the family house buildings. The residential sector is responsible for a considerable share of energy consumption within the building sector, but it is mostly not in the research focus as other building types like industrial, commercial, and office buildings. Enhancing the energy performance of buildings incorporates many approaches that include and are not limited to refurbishment and utilizing passive design principles. The refurbishment process provides an excellent opportunity for rethinking the building design and structure in a way that improves the building’s energy performance and allows the incorporation of new passive approaches. The case studies of this research were either partially or totally subject to a refurbishment approach in their own context. As will be explained in later chapters, the refurbishment process made room for adjusting the building design and integrating architectural elements that utilize passive energy and passively use the forces of nature to reduce relying on mechanical equipment. The passive approach in this case is natural ventilation that was enhanced by integrating passive air conduction elements. Utilizing natural ventilation efficiently saves energy from mechanical cooling and mechanical ventilation. The research investigates the efficiency of different geometry and operation scenarios of such solutions in order to reveal their effectiveness and to provide recommendations for related future research and implementations. It investigates integrating passive air conduction systems (PACS) and their influence on airflow patterns, air change rate (ACH), and indoor temperature. The Venturi effect is tested as an important factor in magnifying the passive conduction and stimulating natural ventilation.