Enhancing Airflow in Row Houses: The Impact of Stilt Floors on Ventilation Efficiency in Humid Tropical Climates

Abstract

Increased natural physical comfort in row houses is often achieved by increasing the airflow into the room. However, row houses usually have units adjacent to ventilation holes only on the front façade and roof. This study aims to investigate the impact of the stilt floor on the increase in airflow in row houses in humid tropical climates. The experimental methodology was used by comparing the wind simulation results between two row-house models: a Landed Row House (LRH) with the ground floor attached to the ground and a Stilt Row House (SRH) with a ground floor raised 3 meters from the ground. Both models measure 3 x 9 meters and have two floors with a sleeping area at the front and a service area at the back. The position of the stairs and air well void is in the middle, with the roof ventilation as an outlet. The difference is that the SRH has an inlet on the stage floor, which connects the underpass and the air well on the stairs. Simulations using SimScale software show that SRH has higher airflow and more even distribution than LRH. The highest airflow occurs in a continuous void area that stretches from the stage floor to the roof vents. The results showed that the airflow speeds at the void on the first floor for the LRH were 0.00 m/s, and for SRH were 0.40 m/s. The airflow speeds at the void on the second floor for the LRH were 0.01 m/s, and for SRH were 0.37 m/s. This study shows that the design of the stilt floor can improve the physical performance of row house buildings and become a design alternative that is more adaptive to the local climate, enhancing the comfort of residents and the energy efficiency of the building.