THE USE OF WIND-CATCHER TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE NATURAL AIR MOVEMENT IN ROW-HOUSES

Abstract

Typically, row-houses also known as residential buildings were constructed as rows. Each row house shares its side walls with the attached row house, as doing so can save space. The saving of space comes at a cost. However, one of the issues is always an inadequate airflow. Thus, the intent of this research study is to address the problem by focusing on the use of wind-catchers in order to improve indoor air movement of sharing spaces – family room, living room, and kitchen – in a two-story row-house. A questionnaire relate to thermal comfort was created and row-houses occupants were asked to fill the answers. Thirty row houses which are two stories level were selected and the owners of those houses were interviewed. A row-house was selected to be the base case. Measurements of wind velocity, temperature, and humidity were conducted at the. Additionally, there were two categories of model simulation were conducted. First category (all apertures of the house were completely open as this condition was considered as the day time) consisted of five proposed designs such as a stair case wind-catcher, an X-type wind-catcher I, an X-type wind-catcher II, a twin K-type wind-catcher I, and a twin K-type wind-catcher II. As the results, the twin K-type wind-catcher II provided the best result amongst other proposed designs. Therefore, it was selected to use in second category. Second category (all apertures of the house were completely closed as this condition was considered as the night time) consisted of three proposed designs such as a twin K-type wind-catcher II, an Extra design I, and an Extra design II. Furthermore, the CFD program was employed to analyze the effects of air flow as wind speed 2m/s and 4m/s from three wind directions (south direction, west direction, and south-west direction). As the results from this research study indicated that the use of wind-catcher did not provide any significant effect to the living room and the kitchen (ground floor) for both the first category and the second category. However, the use of wind-catcher provided the significant effect to the family room (first floor) for both the first category and the second category. More importantly, the use of wind-catcher integrated with an Extra design I and an Extra design II provide the significant effect the air movement in the family room, the living room, and the kitchen for both categories. Additionally, the use of the twin K-type wind-catcher II is the most appropriate one amongst all the proposed designs. Moreover, this research also indicates that wind-catchers can be used properly in tropical monsoon climate as Phnom Penh, Cambodia in order to enhance indoor air movement and to increase thermal comfort to row-houses’ occupant.