Efi Spentzou
Loughborough University, Civil and Building Engineering, Department Member
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Computer simulation and field studies were conducted to investigate the implementation of natural cooling strategies in existing apartment buildings in Athens; the most typical urban domestic building type of Greece. Thermal performance... more
Computer simulation and field studies were conducted to investigate the implementation of natural cooling strategies in existing apartment buildings in Athens; the most typical urban domestic building type of Greece. Thermal performance analysis and airflow modelling in a specific apartment were conducted for the summer period using dynamic building energy simulation tools. The indoor thermal comfort was evaluated with reference to the adaptive thermal comfort theory. Changes to the fenestration and the utilisation of a light shaft, assist the natural cooling of the building and improve the previous single-sided ventilation strategy. Results indicate indoor air quality in the spaces being significantly enhanced, whilst the percentage comfort hours were increased, suggesting a significant reduction of the buildings' cooling demand.
Research Interests:
Natural ventilation solutions can provide sufficient outside air to maintain adequate indoor air quality (IAQ), which can improve occupants’ performance in classrooms and provide reductions in energy consumption for space conditioning. In... more
Natural ventilation solutions can provide sufficient outside air to maintain adequate indoor air quality (IAQ), which can improve occupants’ performance in classrooms and provide reductions in energy consumption for space conditioning. In this study, the effect of cool outside air and the vent opening configurations on IAQ and occupant thermal comfort in naturally ventilated classrooms during the heating season was examined. Dynamic and steady state computer simulations were performed to investigate the internal conditions of a naturally ventilated classroom, designed to meet the requirements of the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP) Output Specification. The modelled designs considered natural cross ventilation airflow through high-level top hung-out or bottom hung-in openings, and a stack (atrium). Dynamic thermal modelling results indicate that adequate IAQ and occupant thermal comfort could be achieved using natural ventilation. However, the CFD simulation results predic...
Research Interests:
The benefits and limitations of time-dependent and steady state computational fluid dynamics simulations when evaluating natural ventilation were explored in a naturally ventilated case study apartment in the Mediterranean. For wind... more
The benefits and limitations of time-dependent and steady state computational fluid dynamics simulations when evaluating natural ventilation were explored in a naturally ventilated case study apartment in the Mediterranean. For wind driven flows, indoor air properties responded quickly (i.e. within 1-min) to changing outdoor conditions, except indoor air temperatures (up to 30-min). The outdoor air temperature variations could reverse the flow direction during buoyancy-driven ventilation. Strong correlations between the steady state and transient simulation results were predicted (<1% error). Comparable indoor temperatures were found from simulations with both coarse and fine time steps, and up to 2% difference was found for indoor velocities.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Natural ventilation solutions can provide sufficient outside air to maintain adequate indoor air quality (IAQ), which can improve occupants’ performance in classrooms and provide reductions in energy consumption for space conditioning. In... more
Natural ventilation solutions can provide sufficient outside air to maintain adequate indoor air quality (IAQ), which can improve occupants’ performance in classrooms and provide reductions in energy consumption for space conditioning. In this study, the effect of cool outside air and the vent opening configurations on IAQ and occupant thermal comfort in naturally ventilated classrooms during the heating season was examined. Dynamic and steady state computer simulations were performed to investigate the internal conditions of a naturally ventilated classroom, designed to meet the requirements of the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP) Output Specification. The modelled designs considered natural cross ventilation airflow through high-level top hung-out or bottom hung-in openings, and a stack (atrium). Dynamic thermal modelling results indicate that adequate IAQ and occupant thermal comfort could be achieved using natural ventilation. However, the CFD simulation results predicted occupant discomfort due to draughts in the regions close to the openings. Bottom hung-in vents reduced draught impact and the study also suggests moving occupants away from the draught zones to minimise the effect of discomfort draughts on occupant comfort. The air velocity and airflow patterns in the classrooms were influenced by the shape, size, location of internal openings, and the flowrate through the openings. This could be controlled by introduction of new openings with lower airflow rates through each opening.
Research Interests:
Computational fluid dynamics simulations were conducted to investigate the performance of enhanced natural ventilation strategies in an existing multi-storey apartment building in Athens, a typical urban Greek domestic building type.... more
Computational fluid dynamics simulations were conducted to investigate the performance of enhanced natural ventilation strategies in an existing multi-storey apartment building in Athens, a typical urban Greek domestic building type. De-coupled airflow modelling was employed to predict the airflow patterns around the case study building at the neighbourhood scale, along with the prediction of the internal airflow patterns and indoor air temperatures at the scale of a single apartment. Implementation of a wind-catcher and a second façade layer have been investigated to enhance the natural ventilation of the building and improve the original single-sided ventilation strategy.