Scale models and CFD for the analysis of air flow in passively ventilated buildings

A new bioclimatic building concept based on solardriven ventilation is analysed through the use of physical and numerical modelling. Measurements are conducted for a 1/12th laboratory scale model designed to replicate the full-scale prototype and its microclimate. Predictions are obtained by employing advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques, and the experimental results provide the benchmarking required in the development of the numerical model, which may offer a viable alternative to expensive and hard to set full-scale tests. The combination of laboratory and computational results gives additional physical insight into the prevailing phenomena determining the ventilation levels, and a first assessment on the feasibility of the concept. Comparison between predictions and experiments indicates a very favourable agreement.