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Performance of Windcatchers in Improving Indoor Air Quality, Thermal Comfort, and Energy Efficiency: A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Qingsong Ma

    (College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China)

  • Guangwei Qian

    (College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China)

  • Menghui Yu

    (College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China)

  • Lingrui Li

    (College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China)

  • Xindong Wei

    (School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China)

Abstract

The growing concerns over climate change and energy scarcity have highlighted the need for building energy conservation. Windcatchers, renowned for their effective ventilation capabilities, have emerged as a pivotal solution for saving energy and improving indoor thermal comfort. Serving as rooftop installations, windcatchers harness high-altitude airflow to provide fresh indoor air while expelling stale air. This comprehensive review encompasses over 96 studies published between 2000 and 2024, examining the performance of various types of windcatchers. The review reviews previous articles and concludes that using different types of wind catchers in hot and arid areas can increase indoor air velocity by about 10–50%, reduce building energy consumption by about 20–50%, and increase thermal comfort duration by about 25–50%. The article combines the perspectives of multiple disciplines such as architecture, environmental engineering, and sustainable design, providing a new perspective for the study of windcatchers. The article not only summarizes the design and performance of existing wind catchers, but also provides 13 suggestions for the design of wind capture towers, while also identifying areas for future research, such as combining wind capture machines with other passive cooling technologies and evaluating their performance under different climate and urban conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Qingsong Ma & Guangwei Qian & Menghui Yu & Lingrui Li & Xindong Wei, 2024. "Performance of Windcatchers in Improving Indoor Air Quality, Thermal Comfort, and Energy Efficiency: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:9039-:d:1501910
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bahadori, Mehdi N., 1994. "Viability of wind towers in achieving summer comfort in the hot arid regions of the middle east," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 5(5), pages 879-892.
    2. Kalantar, Vali, 2009. "Numerical simulation of cooling performance of wind tower (Baud-Geer) in hot and arid region," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 246-254.
    3. Andrés Soto & Pedro Martínez & Victor M. Soto & Pedro J. Martínez, 2021. "Analysis of the Performance of a Passive Downdraught Evaporative Cooling System Driven by Solar Chimneys in a Residential Building by Using an Experimentally Validated TRNSYS Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-16, June.
    4. Hughes, Ben Richard & Calautit, John Kaiser & Ghani, Saud Abdul, 2012. "The development of commercial wind towers for natural ventilation: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 606-627.
    5. Moghtader Gilvaei, Zoleikha & Haghighi Poshtiri, Amin & Mirzazade Akbarpoor, Ali, 2022. "A novel passive system for providing natural ventilation and passive cooling: Evaluating thermal comfort and building energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 463-483.
    6. Jomehzadeh, Fatemeh & Nejat, Payam & Calautit, John Kaiser & Yusof, Mohd Badruddin Mohd & Zaki, Sheikh Ahmad & Hughes, Ben Richard & Yazid, Muhammad Noor Afiq Witri Muhammad, 2017. "A review on windcatcher for passive cooling and natural ventilation in buildings, Part 1: Indoor air quality and thermal comfort assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 736-756.
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