Achieving wind comfort through window design in residential buildings in cold climates, a case study in Tabriz city

Abstract

Abstract Air movement affects thermal comfort both by increasing evaporative loss through the skin and heat transfer between the body and surrounding environment through convection. Generally, in cold climates, it is best to avoid wind to better control the thermal environment. However, crafted passive airflow is essential for providing fresh air and natural ventilation at certain times of year. The use of a window of the right size and location in a cold climate is also indispensable. In this study, the wind speed was calculated for the height of a residential building in the city of Tabriz. A computational fluid dynamics simulation was used to calculate the inflow air speed for each window and the comfort conditions were compared. The findings determined the months where window openings can be used to enhance thermal comfort. The analysis shows how the direction and shape of the window play a major role in directing outdoor air flow indoors at the right time in the right quantity. East- and west-facing windows are most favorable and north- and south-facing windows can only be used in some months. This shows how building designers can quantify the effect of window design in each climate for the occupant’s comfort.