Study of Four Passive Second Skin Façade Configurations as a Natural Ventilation System During Winter and Summer

Abstract

The fight against climate change is a significant challenge, resulting mainly from the linear and extensive exploitation of natural resources, particularly fossil fuels. Its impacts are now recognized. The current climate models are neither sustainable nor ecological in economic and social terms, especially as we live in a century marked by galloping demography and urbanization. Researchers worldwide have paid great attention to passive solar design strategies such as double skin or Second Skin Façade. 

From this point, the present work aims to contribute to a better understanding of the feasibility of using a passive façade as a useful technology for natural ventilation to achieve potential energy savings and improve thermal comfort and indoor air quality. For this purpose, a parametric study was conducted for a room with four different southern facade configurations in six Moroccan climatic zones; the difference between each lies in the vent's position in the entrance and exit. This process was done by using COMSOL Multiphysics software.

Velocity and volume flow rate fields were analyzed. The proposed configurations provided an average volume flow rate between 200 m³/h and 400 m³/h for a surface of 1 m² of southern façade with an air vent area of 0.1mx0.2m.