Natural Ventilation can take structures one step further towards a healthy environment and sustainable energy savings. The Energy Research and Development Division has released their Final Project Report, “Natural Ventilation For Energy Savings In California Commercial Buildings”. This is the final report for the project conducted by University of California, San Diego and contributes to Energy Research and Development Division’s Buildings End-Use Energy Efficiency Program.

CPP Principal Dr. Dave Banks along with other researchers investigated both benefits and barriers to retrofitting California commercial buildings with natural or mixed-mode ventilation for cooling. They analyzed building location, acoustics, occupant comfort, and safety and regulatory issues such as smoke control and projected energy use. They also significantly extended the capabilities for wind tunnel modeling and design of naturally ventilated and mixed-mode buildings in California.

To learn more about these methods, download the Final Project Report at http://escholarship.org/uc/item/4cd386s7  For more information about the Energy Research and Development Division, please visit the Energy Commission’s website at www.energy.ca.gov/research/ or contact the Energy Commission at 916-327-1551.

We have the methods to define and measure how effective your natural ventilation system can be, contact CPP to learn more.