Investigation of the ventilation performance of an integrated day lighting natural ventilation system

Natural ventilation and daylighting are two passive strategies that can improve the indoor performance as well as reduce energy consumption in buildings. Both strategies when used appropriately, increase indoor quality and comport. In terms of energy costs, daylighting can significantly reduce artificial lighting as well as heat dissipated from the resulting fixtures while natural ventilation can minimize the need for air-conditioning. A study is currently being conducted to develop a system that integrates these two passive strategies, to be used specifically for buildings in Malaysia. The initial proposed integrated models are based on similar studies already conducted but with appropriate modifications for tropical climates. This paper will present some results of the ventilation performance of the proposed integrated system model, particularly the airflow distribution patterns and air speed, inside a naturally ventilated room. A CFD simulation software was used to investigate the optimum size of the integrated model with regards to interior ventilation performance. The simulations also included single sided and cross ventilated openings