Optimising natural ventilation using courtyard strategies: CFD simulation of a G + 1 office building in Madinah

ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is to investigate different courtyard designs in office buildings in order to optimize the natural ventilation. A G+1 office building in Madinah, was chosen as a case study. By using IES simulation software the predicted energy consumption compared to the actual energy consumption per year in order to validate the software. Four courtyard scenarios were proposed and analyzed in terms of energy consumption, internal humidity and comfort range, by using (CFD) analysis. It was found that an external courtyard performs better than an enclosed internal courtyard and achieves around 11.5% less energy consumption per year. Internal humidity should be enhanced using evaporative cooling techniques. The paper will discuss the more interesting outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Natural ventilation
• courtyard
• energy consumption
• office building
• Saudi Arabia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).