Optimization of natural ventilation in courtyard-style residential buildings: Insights from inner Mongolian design principles

Abstract

Traditional courtyard houses in China—particularly in regions such as Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Henan, and Sichuan—represent vernacular architectural responses to local climatic conditions. As sustainable residential design gains momentum, especially in hot temperate climates, there is growing interest in how these traditional spatial configurations can inform contemporary strategies for natural ventilation and thermal comfort. This study investigates the potential of courtyard design, spatial configuration, and building geometry to regulate airflow, energy, and indoor thermal comfort in residential buildings. A combination of field measurements, case studies, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations was employed to systematically assess the key factors influencing ventilation performance in courtyard-style buildings. The results underscore the importance of spatial disposition—particularly the orientation of openings and courtyards relative to prevailing wind patterns. Greater courtyard width and length, when paired with windward openings, were proven to significantly enhance wind flow. Increased building height also contributed positively to stack ventilation; however, improper vertical proportions may hamper air movement at lower levels. These findings underscore the need for height optimization based on functional airflow patterns rather than aesthetic preference alone. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of correlating CFD models with empirical field data to ensure accuracy in real-world scenarios, accounting for elements such as surrounding vegetation and adjacent structures. These insights offer valuable guidance for architects and urban planners seeking climate-adaptive design solutions in residential architecture. Ultimately, this research contributes to a framework for improving thermal comfort and energy efficiency in regions with comparable environmental climates.

Keywords

Courtyard houses / Natural ventilation / Sustainability / Computational fluid dynamics / Vegetation / Thermal comfort and climate

Acknowledgments

None.

Funding

This study was funded by the Sarawak Government through Jabatan Tanah dan Survei Sarawak. The funding includes Project No. PY/2024/00847 (vote No. R.J 130000. 7352.1R062), titled “SWK 13.1: Study on Centrality Potential on Smart Infrastructure via Space Syntax Network Analysis of the Strategic Sustainable Growth Development for Petra Jaya,” and Project No. PY/2024/00864 (vote No. R.J130000.7352.1R061), titled “SWK 13.0: Space Syntax Approach in Achieving a Sustainable Quality of Life in Urban Growth Related to Urban Design, Housing, Architectural Development, and Natural Aspects of Heritage-Based Tourism Attraction: The Case of Petra Jaya, Kuching.”

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Shangbing Ma Investigation: Sharifah Salwa Syed Mahdzar Methodology: Shangbing Ma, Sharifah Salwa Syed Mahdzar Visualization: Shangbing Ma Writing – original draft: Shangbing Ma, Sharifah Salwa Syed Mahdzar, Nor Izura Tukiman, Pau Chung Leng Writing – review & editing: Sharifah Salwa Syed Mahdzar, Nor Izura Tukiman, Pau Chung Leng

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Availability of data

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

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