A methodology for the qualitative analysis of winds: natural ventilation as a strategy for improving the thermal comfort in open spaces

The purpose of this paper is to present a simple computer-based design method to improve the thermal comfort conditions in the built environment by means of controlling winds access and therefore natural ventilation. The criterion applied to control the access or obstruction of prevailing winds in a site was the idea of desirability or undesirability of these winds. The proposed method was applied in the design process of an energy conscious urban complex, which was designed for the city of Beer Sheva situated in the north of Israel's Negev desert. The simple design tool presented here allows the consideration of the winds in a site from the very beginning of the design process as a passive cooling design strategy. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.