What are your thoughts about incorporating natural ventilation techniques into the heating/cooling/ventilation design of a house?

D
dean c
Updated: Sept. 4, 2020

What are your thoughts about incorporating natural ventilation techniques into the heating/cooling/ventilation planning for the whole house as an integrated system? 

Some reading I have done has led me to understand that if you employ some natural ventilation techniques you may be able to downsize some of the heating/cooling/ventilation equipment and save on operational energy costs.     

There appear to be several energy modeling software programs to reference during the design stage, when planning a new build. Is there any good modeling software to help gauge the effectiveness of employing natural ventilation (stack effect, night flushing, cross ventilation) along with mechanical ventilation (HRV or ERV) for a mixed mode ventilation strategy?

Is there modeling software available to see where operable windows would work best? Perhaps adding ventilation passages between floors for air movement? Where to place vents for air circulation between rooms to take advantage of cross currents and the stack effect, but also lessen noise transmission?

A lot of questions, but I could not find much info on your site regarding natural ventilation within an energy efficient house

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