STUDY ON THE INDOOR CLIMATE OF AN ATRIUM IN A SCHOOL BUILDING USING COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS

摘要

The Groenhorst College is an institute for agricultural education in the Netherlands. The building was finished two years ago and started since May 2003. The building is equipped with a great amount of glass in the facades which helps to maximize the use of daylight. These large areas of glass however lead to risks of overheating in the atrium even in transient seasons. After one year of operation, staff of the college complained considerably about the indoor climate. In order to improve the climate in the atrium, CFD techniques have been applied. The current situation has been simulated and is shown to be in agreement with onsite measurements. Several cases have been studied on the modifications of cross ventilation, outside sun blinds and floor cooling. The impacts of the different modifications are summarized for the further renovation.