Advances in Wind Tunnel and CFD Analysis for Building Design in Hot-Humid Climates

High humidity and high level of ambient temperature in hot–humid climates cause thermal discomfort. Further to that, the absence of temperature fluctuations between day and night reduces the efficiency of passive cooling techniques. Ventilation and increased air movement has the potential to offset thermal discomfort at high indoor temperatures without compromising the overall acceptability of the environment. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis and wind tunnel experiments have been applied recently for investigating the ventilation performance in buildings and their effect in improving thermal comfort. This chapter discusses passive ventilation studies in hot and humid climates with focus on various approaches and advances in wind tunnel and CFD techniques. The studies show that in addition to providing appropriate size and orientation for windows and incorporation of design elements such as shades, voids and stacks, it is important to control absorption of heat from the surrounding environment.