Passive ventilation for indoor comfort: A comparison of results from monitoring and simulation for a historical building in a temperate climate

When environmental sustainability is a key feature of an intervention on a building, the design must guarantee minimal impact and damage to the environment. The last ten years have seen a steady increase in the installation of highly efficient systems for winter heating, but this trend has not been mirrored for summer cooling systems. Passive ventilation, however, is a means of summer air conditioning with a low financial and environmental impact. Natural ventilation methods such as "wind towers" have been used to achieve adequate levels of internal comfort in buildings. However, the application of these systems in old town centres, where buildings are often of great architectural value, is complex. This study started with the analysis of various ventilation chimneys in order to identify the most suitable system for temperate climes. Ventilation systems were then designed using static analysis of ventilation with specific software, and installed. The results were assessed and monitored using climatic sensors over the summer period, in order to establish the period of maximum functionality to optimize the system's performance.