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A. Paipai:
"Computational Assessment of Passive Cooling Methods in Buildings";
Supervisor: A. Mahdavi; Continuing Education Center, 2006; final examination: 2006-06-19.

Various factors have been contributing to a recent steady increase in buildings´ demands for cooling energy: environmental changes, increased heat gains due to equipment and growing expectations in view of acceptable indoor thermal conditions. Given this context, it´s both environmentally and economically meaningful to develop and implement passive cooling techniques toward the reduction of buildings´ demand for cooling energy. In the present study, we use parametric simulations to compute the relative impact of various passive cooling technologies toward the reduction of overheating risk in residential buildings. The cooling measures under examination are shading, natural ventilation (emphasizing on night time natural ventilation), and the application of phase change materials (PCM). The buildings that are being used for the parametric studies are an apartment and a double-storey single house, both simulated for a Mediterranean climate (Athens, Greece) and middle-European one (Vienna, Austria). The results showed that passive cooling methods can significantly contribute the reduction of overheating in buildings. In particular shading and night time ventilation have been shown to be very effective especially if applied in combination. PCMs on the other hand, showed a limited potential in the reduction of overheating risk, at least under the specific climatic circumstances.

Passive cooling; Parametric modeling; Thermal storage; Night ventilation; Phase Changing materials

http://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/pub-ar_7964.pdf