Effect of balconies and upper–lower vents on ventilation and indoor air quality in a wind-induced, naturally ventilated building

Abstract

Balconies are green features commonly used in residential buildings to improve natural ventilation and air quality. Small vents, if mounted with an acoustic silencer, can reduce noise penetration while still allowing natural ventilation to occur. In this study, the computational fluid dynamics method is used to investigate numerically the effect of balconies with small upper and lower vents on the ventilation and air quality of the 4th, 5th and 6th floors of a 10-storey building. The results show that balconies can significantly increase the natural ventilation on these floors and generally have a more positive effect on the improvement of natural ventilation and the reduction in pollutant concentration on the floor on which they are located rather than on the levels above or below. Practical application: This study will help designers and engineers understand more about the effect of balconies and lower and upper vents on natural ventilation and indoor air quality in buildings. This study will also help them to incorporate with confidence the design of balconies with lower and upper vents.