Combined wind catchers and side windows for cross ventilation in row houses

Purpose This paper aims to explore the efficiency of natural ventilation in the bedrooms of typical two-storeyed row houses with newly reconfigured design that incorporate rooftop wind catchers and side windows to create cross ventilation. Design/methodology/approach A CFD program was used to assess average air velocity coefficient (Cv) in 32 airflow cases. Parameters include location of openings with respect to wind direction, inlet-to-outlet area ratio (IOR) and opening-to-floor area ratio (OFR). Findings The results reveal that indoor air velocities in the cases of air entering wind catchers are generally higher than those in the cases of air entering side windows while air velocities at the openings are the opposite. The IOR of 1:2 provides best results in terms of both velocities of the indoor air and velocities at the openings. Increasing the OFR from 20% to 50% generally improves indoor air velocities and airflow rates. Originality/value This study proved that the new solution of combining one-sided wind catchers and side windows can effectively solve the problem of ventilation uniquely existing in the conditions of typical row houses by catching prevailing wind from two opposite directions into multiple rooms. The results are given as non-dimensional air velocities, which can be interpreted with any climatic data, and therefore can be applied to row houses in any locations and climatic conditions. The findings can create a new and efficient design of row houses that benefits building industry.