A Simple Interactive Design Tool for Sizing, Locating and determining Pollution Attenuation features, of Urban Air Inlets suitable for Office Buildings

This paper identifies successful ways of applying natural ventilation to non domestic buildings located in urban areas. Whilst noise and contaminant pollution sources are a problem methods of avoiding these emissions are discussed. A review of literature has established that pollution problems arise for buildings which are in close proximity to roads, railways, airports and local industries. Location of ventilation air inlets will affect the quality of indoor air, therefore it is essential that they are located in ways that minimise the ingress of external pollutants. Potential pollution avoidance strategies include, locating vents on sheltered facades and positioning central inlets at a sufficient height from emissions. Wind flows patterns around buildings have an important impact on air quality, and a simple model is discussed that determines the decrease in pollutant concentrations between emission sources and air intakes. Adequate ventilation is required to limit the number of occasions when indoor temperatures are uncomfortable. A series of well established models are presented based on different natural ventilation concepts. These models can be used to size air inlets for any building, to provide specified ventilation rates on any floor. All issues discussed in the paper form part of an interactive design tool that provides best practice guidelines for minimising the impact of urban pollution, selecting suitable air inlets, and sizing them so as to provide adequate ventilation during the summer. 1