How do you know the natural ventilation strategy—cross-ventilation or stack (thermal stratification) driven—or the under floor air distribution system that you are proposing for the project is going to work? How can you be sure comfort conditions will be maintained, energy savings obtained, and indoor air quality enhanced? Most architects rely on experience, rule-of-thumb, and intuition to guide them in such complex system design. These methods may be useful starting points for design but they cannot ensure that acceptable performance will be achieved in the built and occupied design. This seminar will introduce you to the world of computational fluid dynamic modeling, analysis tools that can accurately evaluate heat and mass transfer in an architectural space.

   Learning objectives:

• Explain the basics of airflow (computational fluid dynamic, CFD) modeling and how CFD modeling is used as part of an integrated sustainable design process
• Identify design conditions when CFD modeling should be used to ensure proper building performance (i.e., comfort, indoor air quality, and effective air distribution)
• Develop a scope of work, select a qualified CFD modeler, and effectively work with the CFD modeler to evaluate and refine a sustainable design strategy involving airflow