Airflow and air quality is an important aspect of human comfort. Moving air helps people feel cooler, and natural ventilation is a key strategy for passive cooling.  Also, circulating fresh air within a space prevents air from getting stale. In building design, you’ll want to consider both external and internal airflows.

External airflow analysis helps you answer these questions:

• How to mass and orient a new building to minimize unwanted “canyoning” effects where wind is accelerated by being channeled between buildings, often along pedestrian walkways?
• How to design courtyards so people can enjoy appropriately sheltered outdoor spaces?
• What site elements like walls, trees, and landscaping can help improve the wind flow patterns on your site?
• A basic understanding of where to place openings to get the most out of cross ventilation.
• Roughly estimate the impact of wind on pedestrian comfort and pressure distribution on structures

Internal airflow analysis helps you answer these questions:

• What is the expected airflow rate and temperature at a given location of your model, based on different design cases?
• How design building spaces and atria to most effectively harness stack-effect ventilation caused by temperature and pressure differences?
• How can active HVAC systems be laid-out to most effectively complement passive heating and cooling strategies (inlet and outlet placement, airflow rates)? What is the combined effect of this on human comfort?