The Application of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Assessment of Green Features in Buildings: Part 1: Wing Walls

Abstract

The use of green features in building design not only improves the environmental quality, but also reduces the consumption of non-renewable energy used in active control of indoor environment. Larger window openings in the walls of a building may provide better natural ventilation. However, it also increases the penetration of direct solar radiation into indoor environment. The use of wing wall, one of the green features, is an alternative to create effective natural ventilation. This paper presents a preliminary numerical study of its ventilation performance using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The results of the CFD analysis show that the wing wall is a useful green feature added onto the south-facing wall with window openings to increase single-sided ventilation rate. Its performances under different wind directions and speeds and wing sizes are also examined.