Simulation of the effect of windcatchers on air quality inside courtyards

Abstract

The courtyard is an essential traditional building element for sustainable construction in hot arid areas. However, there are some limitations in using it for future sustainable buildings. One of these is air quality, where previous research indicates that the courtyard provides thermal comfort to its residents by generating a microclimate that isolates the courtyard from external air, but this can reduce the building's ventilation potential. Traditional houses in the Middle East use windcatchers as a solution to this problem. This paper shows the results of a numerical simulation of a courtyard with windcatchers in traditional houses. The results indicate that windcatchers can provide enough fresh air for ventilation. It can also reduce the outdoor air temperature by using the thermal mass of the windcatcher wall and earth cooling, but will not provide low enough temperatures to maintain the microclimate, which suggests the need for more research in this field.