Noise-reducing vents for windows in warm, humid, tropical countries

ABSTRACT Sustainable building design requires the application of natural ventilation, which has three prerequisites – a comfortable outdoor air temperature (20–25°C), unpolluted outdoor air and a low-noise environment (under 55 dBA). There are many locations where the first two prerequisites are met, but the environmental noise makes applying natural ventilation challenging. This research developed an auxiliary noise-reducing vent for windows (NRVW) that allows daylight and outdoor air to enter the room while reducing the penetration of outdoor noise. As an auxiliary, the NRVW is intended to be integrated into any (double) glazed windows with a sound transmission class (STC) above 25 dBA. The research used physical model experiments to measure the NRVW’s STC and outdoor–indoor transmission class (OITC). Digital model simulation was used to measure the NRVW’s ventilation performance. It was found that NRVW has a rating of STC 18 and OITC 16, and it generates indoor air velocity of 0.015–0.086 m/s in the occupants’ zone for an outdoor wind speed of 1–5 m/s. Modification of the room interior increases the indoor air velocity to 0.147 m/s. Computer simulation also demonstrated that, with an occupant inside the room, an outdoor air temperature of 25°C and outdoor wind speed of 1–5 m/s maintained the indoor air temperature at 25.309–25.258°C, indicating that the resulting airflow could keep the indoor air temperature low. Although the NRVW was originally developed for warm–humid climate conditions, it is also applicable for other climates if the required outdoor conditions are met.

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