UrbVent: Natural ventilation in urban areas -- potential assessment and optimal façade design

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 00.0378-1

Key words (English)

Natural ventilation; buildings; cities; method; tool;
Construction Technology; Economic Aspects; Energy Saving; Renewable Sources of Energy

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: ENK6-2000-00316

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.4b.2 Economic and efficient energy for a competitive Europe

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Université de La Rochelle (F)

Abstract (English)

Natural ventilation is an energy efficient alternative to air conditioning, adequate for European climate. Its application needs appropriate assessment of pressure and temperature on the faýades, and especially designed openings. But the actual methods are either oversimplified or hypercomplicated, both inadequate for decision making. As an alternative, soft computing (resulting in systems that adapt themselves, learn and explain their decisions) will be used to model the complex real-world interaction between buildings and urban environment. The design of special faýade components, that exploit the surrounding energy potential, will be studied. Knowing the interaction between buildings and their urban environment, a rating methodology of natural ventilation feasibility will be obtained. Research laboratories and industrial companies will develop methodologies that will be then disseminated in 25 European countries.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 00.0378-1