A CFD investigation into the wind flow around several generic building types situated within a built environment

This paper presents results of CFD modelling carried out to investigate the wind flow around the rooftops of several kinds of homogenous urban building structures. The intention being to explore the optimal positioning of micro-scale building-mounted wind turbines. Buildings examined include large flat-roofed commercial properties (industrial estates, business parks, commercial tower blocks) and pitched-roofed residential properties (terraced, semi-detached and detached houses, residential tower blocks). A method for simplifying and modelling the flow around buildings was developed and is presented here. Typical turbulence intensity levels are also investigated. Several conclusions were drawn from the results; these suggest that, depending upon local site conditions, commercial buildings are better suited to building mounted turbines, it is inadvisable to mount a turbine below the ridgeline of pitched roof dwellings and speed-up effects are greatly reduced for buildings situated within the urban environment.