Assessment and Improvement of the Educational buildings’ ventilation potential

Abstract

We live in a world where the impact of humans on the ecosystem is enormous and is becoming increasingly apparent and frightening, in a world where the natural resources have becoming scarce and energy demand has been increasing worldwide, which is generating harmful wastes, such as releases more dangerous GHG into the atmosphere threatening people‘s life by trigging unprecedented health problems and natural catastrophes (Roodman et al. 1995). In a world where the buildings represent very high energy consumption compared to the other economic sectors; about 30-45% of the global energy demand (Cox.2010). Mainly due to its indoor servicing systems and irresponsible practices. This latter is not only depleting natural resources, it’s also notorious-labeled system that to blame for making people sick (SBS) (Seppänen et al. 2002) and increasing global temperature especially in cities (HUI) (Roodman & Lenssen.1995) by releasing hazardous gases, VOCs and PMs into the atmosphere. Therefore, promoting energy efficiency and environmentally friendly system in buildings is more than essential, which is also considered a key feature in green buildings. Due to the disadvantages of these indoor environmental control systems ex.HVAC ( Daisey et al. 2003) which associated with high energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and poor indoor environment quality; there has been increasing studies interest on indoor environmental control using passive environmental control approaches in the development of energy-saving systems and environmentally friendly building strategies that achieve thermal comfort, saves valuable energy and leads to healthier indoor environment (Fisk et al. 2003, Zweers et al 1992, Roodman & Lenssen.1995).Amongst passive design techniques in buildings is the use of natural ventilation strategies which is demonstrated by many publications on the subject (Allard F (ed.).1998, Cook.J & McEvoy.M 1996). In this work we investigate the potential use of natural ventilation strategies in educational buildings to improve indoor air quality as they lead not only to good indoor environmental quality and reduce the energy demand but also to enhance student’s performance and comfort, thus improve academic achievement. (Mendell et al. 2005, Carnegie Mellon,2004, H.W. Meyer et al., 2005, Grün, G, & Urlaub, S. 2015, E & Sterling T 1983). In light of that, two adventitious ventilated classrooms in two different contexts have been selected to analyze.