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An airport cooled by natural ventilation

72 points · 47 comments · Geekette

  1. plantain · · focus · HN ↗
    Every time I have been in one of these "naturally ventilated" facilities designed to "not need AC" due to "passive cooling", they've been uncomfortably hot.

    It just feels like industrial scale gas-lighting, and no one in charge can admit it doesn't work afterwards because too much was spent on it.

    Is stacking solar on the roof and AC's inside really so uneconomical?

    1. drekipus · · focus · HN ↗
      I'm convinced there's forces out there who are trying to make these projects deliberately not work so that we can all collectively discredit the idea.

      Naturally ventilated airports would probably have issues with fumes. Might not be a great idea.

      If I believe correctly the Dyson headquarters was designed to be fairly efficient as well.

      My father in laws house was intentionally designed to be naturally ventilated, thermal mass concrete slab in the middle, etc. And it's comfortably cool even on 40 degree days.

      1. viraptor · · focus · HN ↗
        > Naturally ventilated airports would probably have issues with fumes.

        I'm confused. Do you mean from the food places? Those need proper extraction anyway. Or the cars/planes? Then mechanically ventilated airports take the air basically from outside anyway.

        1. rrr_oh_man · · focus · HN ↗
          > Then mechanically ventilated airports take the air basically from outside anyway.

          This is not how A/C works.

          1. klardotsh · · focus · HN ↗
            Depends on whether an ERV/HRV or other fresh air intake system is involved, I guess. In a space like an airport with so many people, you do have to cycle in fresh air somehow, it can’t just be a sealed space.
            1. rrr_oh_man · · focus · HN ↗
              Fair point
          2. viraptor · · focus · HN ↗
            No, that's how ventilation works. They can be independent and you need both. Closed loop A/C provides no ventilation.
            1. rrr_oh_man · · focus · HN ↗
              I don't disagree
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