Effect of Architectural Roof Design and Building Height on Flow Field and Pollution Transport in Street Canyons
Published in Proceedings of ACCMES, 2015
Description:
This research investigates how architectural form, specifically roof geometry and building height, has an impact on air flow patterns and pollutant dispersion within urban street canyons. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the study moves beyond abstract environmental metrics to directly link design decisions at the roofline to measurable air-quality outcomes at pedestrian level. The study compares flat and slanted roof configurations across multiple height ratios, revealing that roof form significantly alters internal vortex structures within street canyons. Slanted roofs were shown to lift primary vortices upward, promoting improved vertical exchange and reducing pollutant accumulation near street level. In contrast, flat roofs tended to trap pollutants within stable recirculation zones, exacerbating local air-quality conditions. For architects and urban designers, this work highlights the roofline as an active environmental interface, not merely a formal or regulatory constraint. Small geometric modifications can meaningfully influence ventilation efficiency, pollutant residence time, and pedestrian exposure. The research positions CFD not as an afterthought for consulting engineers to check, but as an informed analytical tool capable of guiding early-stage massing, section, and envelope designs.
Funding: Seoul National University Research Grant
Location: 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
Recommended citation: J. Nguyen, T. C. Nguyen, V.Nguyen, "Effect of architectural roof design and building height on flow field and pollution transport in street canyon", 2015, in proceedings of ACCMES - Asian Conference on Civil, Material, and Environmental Sciences.