Performance assessment of a novel wind-powered ventilation system toward sustainable buildings

• Novel CF-VAWT system offers sustainable wind-powered building ventilation. • Optimized Savonius turbine operates at low wind speeds starting from 1 m/s. • System achieves up to 80 CFM airflow and 1.96 ACH at 6 m/s wind speed. • CFD and experimental results confirm efficiency across various conditions. Ventilation plays a crucial role in sustainable building design by enhancing indoor air quality, improving energy efficiency, and reducing overall energy consumption. Integrating renewable energy sources, particularly wind energy, into ventilation systems offers a promising solution for addressing climate change and minimizing dependence on conventional power supplies. This study presents the development and evaluation of a novel wind-powered ventilation system that incorporates a Wind Ventilation Device (WVD), coupling a Savonius-type Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) with a centrifugal fan (CF-VAWT). The system is designed to enhance residential ventilation while promoting energy sustainability. The Savonius turbine was aerodynamically optimized using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, employing modified NACA 6409 airfoil profiles to improve aerodynamic performance. The optimized design was fabricated using 3D printing technology and tested under both controlled indoor and outdoor conditions. Indoor experiments demonstrated that the system could initiate operation at wind speeds as low as 1 m/s, achieving a peak airflow of 80 CFM at 12 m/s with a fully open damper. Outdoor testing validated the system’s real-world applicability, recording airflow rates up to 33 CFM and air changes per hour (ACH) of 1.96 at a wind speed of 6 m/s. These results confirm the CF-VAWT system’s potential to provide effective wind-driven ventilation while reducing reliance on energy-intensive mechanical systems. The proposed system offers a scalable, low-maintenance, and environmentally friendly alternative for building ventilation, aligning with global sustainability goals aimed at reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment.