Enhancing Indoor Ventilation Efficiency through the Open Space Design of Detached Houses in Housing Estates

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of Open Space Beneath the Building (OSBB) design on the natural ventilation efficiency of detached houses in housing estates using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The experimental setup examined three main variables: (1) OSBB ratio at 25% and 50%; (2) increased building spacing from the property boundary from 2 m to 2.5 m and 3 m; and (3) alignment of OSBB positions along the same axis. The dependent variable was the average air velocity within the first-floor living room at a height of 1.2 m. The results revealed that increasing the OSBB ratio from 25% to 50% enhanced the average air velocity by 37.83%. Although increasing the building spacing slightly improved ventilation, most of the improvement resulted from the larger OSBB ratio. Aligning OSBB positions created a continuous airflow path, particularly in the windward direction for the 50% OSBB configuration. The findings indicate that a higher OSBB ratio significantly improves natural ventilation performance and can serve as an effective design guideline for housing estate projects aimed at promoting thermal comfort.