Effect of the Built Environment on Natural Ventilation in a Historical Environment: Case of the Walled City of Famagusta

Abstract

Passive building is among the most important subjects in architecture today. The key factor in terms of a solution is related to the level of renewable energy in buildings. Natural ventilation is among the effective factors in indoor thermal comfort. Virtual simulations prepare a basis for reliable and fast result outcomes. Computer Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software is available thanks to advances in technology and mathematical calculation to simulate projects with any conditions. This paper presents thermal comfort reduction where, in the simulation, the closed environment is considered rather than the individual building with no surroundings. In order to reach the conclusion, a comparison between a single building simulation and two locations in the walled city of Famagusta in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a historical settlement, is provided to illustrate the changes according to the closed environment conditions. According to the results, if energy consultants aim to present realistic energy data in order to upgrade the level of sustainability of buildings, it is important to consider the effect of the closed environment on natural ventilation in their calculation.