Energy and Buildings, Vol.169, 236-244, 2018
Natural ventilation potential of the Mediterranean coastal region of Catalonia
Most of the Catalonian population and urban areas are located along the Mediterranean coastal zone and for this analysis three largest Catalonia's cities are chosen: Barcelona, Terrassa and Tarragona. Each city is a geographical representative of a different climate type according to the re-analysed Koppen-Geiger climate classification. The objective of this research is to demonstrate the effects of regional climate variations on the potential of natural ventilation (NV) application in building design. The first part of the article presents the availability of NV corresponding to yearly climate conditions applying the methodology "Climate potential for natural ventilation" (CPNV). In the continuation, the second analysis is calculated with building energy simulation software and displays possible refrigeration energy savings in three geographical locations. Mixed-mode (or hybrid-mode) and night-ventilation techniques are applied for the cooling process of a hypothetical low-rise office building model. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Energy efficiency;Energy transition;Natural ventilation;Passive cooling;Mixed-mode;Performance;Mediterranean region;Catalonia