A completely revised edition of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) guide to natural ventilation in buildings is now available. The publication brings together the latest guidance and research on the subject and provides an expert guide as to how natural ventilation can best be incorporated into buildings. Aimed mainly at building services engineers and designers, the guide will also be useful to facilities and building managers who want background information on the subject.
The first section deals with the design strategy, detailing the internal and external criteria that can affect natural ventilation in the building. Ventilation has two main functions: maintaining an adequate level of indoor air quality and helping to reduce the tendency for buildings to overheat, particularly in hot summer weather. The strategy for each building needs to take other factors that impinge into account, such as acoustics, smoke control and health and safety. The guide includes a schematic flow diagram, helping designers to select whether or not natural ventilation will be appropriate for any specific application.
Once the design strategy has been developed, the specification, selection and integration of ventilation components must be determined and this is dealt with in the next section of the guide. The final section covers the detailed design calculations needed to ensure that the ventilation system delivers the required quantity of air to the right places at the right time.
