https://gprjournals.org/journals/index.php/ijea/issue/feed 2026-01-17T01:08:06+00:00 Chief editor journals@gprjournals.org Open Journal Systems <p><strong>International Journal of Engineering and Architecture</strong> (IJEA) is a peer-reviewed journal published by GPR Journals. The scope of IJEA is full range of engineering fields such as Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computing &amp; Software Engineering, Control Engineering &amp; Robotics, Electrical &amp; Electronic Engineering, Energy Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, etc. IJEA also covers architectural fields such as Architectural Design &amp; Theory, Architectural Heritage Conservation, Architectural Science &amp; Technology, Landscaping Architecture, Urban Planning, etc. This journal strives to promote scientifically robust research in emerging engineering fields. Manuscripts submitted to this journal are published online and can be printed as hard copies upon author’ request. Papers can be submitted via email to <a href="mailto:journals@gprjournals.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">journals@gprjournals.org</a> or <a href="https://gprjournals.org/online-submission/">online submission.</a></p> https://gprjournals.org/journals/index.php/ijea/article/view/471 2026-01-17T01:08:06+00:00 Uwe Reischl journals@gprjournals.org Ravindra S Goonetilleke journals@gprjournals.org

<p><strong>Aim:</strong> Natural ventilation in buildings can enhance indoor health and well-being while also reducing the energy consumption required for mechanical cooling and heating. However, due to the complexity of many building floor plans, achieving effective natural ventilation can be difficult. To investigate how natural ventilation in buildings can be improved, a study was conducted to identify a prototype window design feature that can generate differential air pressure levels sufficient to create improved natural air flow for indoor spaces having one exterior exposure only. The purpose was to identify basic aerodynamic principles that can be applied to more complex architectural environments later.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> A wind-tunnel experiment using a scale building model compared airflow performance across cross-ventilation, corner-ventilation, and single-sided configurations, including a prototype window-panel design. Air velocities were recorded at multiple orientations and wind speeds, and airflow patterns were visualized using smoke tracers.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> Maximum indoor air velocities for the cross-ventilation and corner-ventilation configurations were observed at orientation angles between 60⁰ and 90⁰. However, maximum air velocities for a standard single-sided window configuration were observed at 50⁰. Adding external architectural panels to the prototype design, the maximum airflow rate occurred at an orientation angle of 0⁰. Increasing the wind-tunnel air velocity incrementally from 20 m/min to 80 m/min resulted in linear changes, indicating the absence of confounding turbulence factors influencing the measurement protocol.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The prototype window-panel system substantially improved airflow under single-sided ventilation conditions and, in some orientations, approached cross-ventilation performance. These findings suggest potential applications for improving ventilation in buildings with limited exterior exposure, though validation in full-scale environments is needed.</p> <p><strong>Recommendation: </strong>The design shows promise for retrofit and new-built applications in single-exposure rooms. Further research should evaluate full-scale performance, thermal comfort outcomes, and long-term energy effects.</p>

2026-01-17T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2026 Uwe Reischl, Ravindra S. Goonetilleke