Pneumatic skin with adaptive openings: Adaptive façade with opening control integrated with CFD for natural ventilation

Abstract

The unique integration of geometries and techniques allows the natural organisms to adapt to different environments in creative ways. In this study, a bio-inspired pneumatic facade is presented as a strategy to improve the efficiency of natural ventilation performance by controlling the adaptive openings. The Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation has been conducted to visualize airflows in order to explore how the changing configurations of openings enhance natural ventilation efficiency. The airflows are investigated with changes in wind speed and direction to find out the opening configurations which provide indoor airflows at the comfort level of velocities. As results, it was shown that indoor air velocities were modulated by controlling opening sizes, geometries and positions of the openings, and it was a beneficial strategy to apply the optimized opening configurations implementing automatic control. Also, the air distribution can be enhanced by changing opening configurations in changing conditions of wind speed and direction. An effective methodology for an intelligent façade opening control to encourage natural ventilation is presented in this study to deliver users comfort and efficiency.