Get Sust! Issue 33

Good news for domes

Domes have not had a good press here in the UK. But just as the eponymous Millennium Dome is getting a second chance as the re-named, re-branded ‘The O2’ on the Greenwich Penninsula, so traditional dome constructions could also see a 21st-century come-back, as researchers from the University of Nottingham’s School of the Built Environment reveal the dome’s potential to improve natural ventilation strategies.

Omar Asfour and Mohamed Gadi have used CFD simulations to assess the benefits of domed roofs on wind-induced natural ventilation performance. Their study took account of different building forms and areas, and different wind directions and velocities, demonstrating that domes can improve ventilation performance in the upstream and central zones of the building, because suction forces acting over them induce more inflow rate through the building and attract some of the outflow to leave through dome openings instead of walls openings.

Learn more:

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Read the detailed study: “Using CFD to Investigate Ventilation Characteristics of Domes as Wind-Inducing Devices in Buildings” by Omar S. Asfour and Mohamed B. Gadi, in International Journal of Green Energy, Volume 4, Issue 6, November 2007, pages 571-588. Available online at www.informaworld.com/.