Energy Reports (Dec 2023)
Implementing natural ventilation and daylighting strategies for thermal comfort and energy efficiency in office buildings in Burkina Faso
Abstract
In recent years, efforts to lessen the environmental impact of the building sector have focused more on passive strategies to develop eco-friendly buildings that reduce energy use and improve thermal comfort. To reduce the construction sector’s resource use, particularly in fast-urbanizing sub-Saharan countries, a paradigm shift is needed. Although integrated daylighting and natural ventilation solutions in building design and construction are still under development in sub-Saharan Africa, their scientific contributions to the construction industry are growing. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate natural ventilation and daylighting improvements in Burkina Faso office buildings to maximize thermal comfort and energy efficiency. The country’s meteorological data from 2004 to 2018 was examined for climatic analysis and utilized in Integrated Environmental Solutions Virtual Environment (IESVE) for natural ventilation and daylight simulations and in Design-Builder (DB) for thermal comfort and energy consumption simulations. 4 simulation rounds were conducted in order to determine respectively from round 1 to 4 the effects of building shape, glazing type, window shading type, and window-to-wall ratio on the daylighting and natural ventilation office building model performances. The findings indicated that on a south–north axis orientation, a ”H”-shaped structure with blue-tinted glass, horizontal louvers for shading, and 30% window-to-wall ratio, is the best option. The best overall option reduced annual energy demand, cooling energy demand, and solar gains by 14.9%, 25.3%, and 68.3% respectively. Hourly average airflow increased by 64.8% and 2% in hot and cold seasons respectively. Indoor air temperature decreased by 3.4 °C in the hot season and increased by 0.4 °C in the cold season. The daylighting analysis results demonstrated benefits with measurements that did not reflect too much light, implying reduced glare and discomfort with Useful Daylight Illuminance (500-2500lux): 56%, Spatial Daylight autonomy (50%): 44.7%, Annual Sunlight Exposure: 12%. This research laid the groundwork for a sustainable, bioclimatic office building model in a landlocked developing nation like Burkina Faso by integrating Climate Based Design Modeling (CBDM) and natural ventilation parameters into the design process.
