Experimental investigation of the ventilation efficiency for single-sided ventilation in suburban areas

Natural ventilation is a key passive design strategy for enhancing indoor air quality and reducing energy consumption in buildings. This study investigates natural ventilation and associated transport mechanisms using a small-scale model building in a boundary layer wind tunnel, replicating suburban terrain conditions. Ventilation performance was quantified via tracer gas concentration decay, revealing optimal ventilation efficiency at a wind incidence angle of 85°. Flow structures were examined through Particle Image Velocimetry and tuft probe measurements to investigate the underlying transport processes. The results demonstrate that broadband ventilation dominates across a wide range of incidence angles, while eddy penetration becomes increasingly influential between 75° and 90°. A strong positive correlation was identified between internal velocity magnitudes and ventilation rates, with high internal velocities and external flow separation bubbles near the window significantly enhancing ventilation efficiency. These findings highlight the importance of external flow topology in controlling internal air exchange and show the significance of oblique wind directions in promoting effective ventilation. The results provide valuable guidance for façade design and window placement in naturally ventilated buildings, particularly in suburban settings with complex wind environments. The insights contribute to improved predictive capabilities for ventilation modeling and offer evidence-based recommendations for optimizing passive ventilation strategies in early-stage building design. • Wind tunnel study of single-sided ventilation in suburban terrain. • Peak ventilation efficiency occurs at a wind angle of 85 ° . • Eddy penetration dominates flow at wind angles between 75 ° and 90 ° . • Tracer gas and PIV used to estimate eddy-driven ventilation rates. • Higher indoor flow speeds correlate with better ventilation efficiency.