Natural ventilation

natural ventilation

[′nach·rəl ‚vent·əl′ā·shən]

(mining engineering)

The weak and varying ventilation in a mine caused by the difference in air density between shafts.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Natural ventilation

1. A method for reducing energy use and cost and for providing acceptable indoor environmental quality rather than using mechanical ventilation. Natural ventilation systems rely on pressure differences to move fresh air through buildings. Openings between rooms such as transom windows, louvers, grills, or open plans are techniques to complete the airflow circuit through a building. Strategies include placement and operability of windows and doors, thermal chimneys, operable skylights, and exterior landscaped berms to direct airflow on a site.

2. A method that uses operable windows and direct outside air circulation, when the temperature, wind, precipitation, humidity, and pollution levels are acceptable. The amount of natural ventilation depends on the type, shape, placement, and size of the building and its openings. There are two primary natural ventilation methods: cross-ventilation and stack-ventilation. Cross-ventilation depends on wind-driven breezes, whereas stack-ventilation uses air density differences to create air movement across a building. See also: Ventilation systems

Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture Copyright © 2012, 2002, 1998 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

natural ventilation

Ventilation by air movement caused by natural forces, rather than by fans.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.