Effects due to groups of buildings

Abstract

For the past 5-10 years architects have realized the need for information on the aerodynamics of the environment around groups of buildings. The high wind speeds in precincts around tall or exposed buildings have surprised their designers who have sought remedies, and the publicity about windy environments around existing buildings has led to requests for advice about developments on the drawing board. In the absence of a general theory for the prediction of air flow patterns and wind speeds around groups of buildings, the problem has been studied in wind tunnels. The paper describes typical town centre developments in which a problem of wind environment has arisen, and gives a brief account of the investigation of specific cases. The broad conclusions from some twenty case studies made by the Building Research Station in response to inquiries from industry are summarized. In seeking to generalize, a series of investigations of the air flow around small groups of idealized model buildings has been conducted, and some comparisons between model and full-scale measurements have been made. This has led to a design method for use in planning the layout of small groups of buildings, which draws on the data from model tests and also meteorological information and comfort criteria. This work is outlined, and future research needs are also discussed.