Recent Advances in Passive Cooling Techniques for Indoor Thermal Comfort

Passive cooling techniques are proving to be effective and sustainable approaches to achieve adequate indoor thermal comfort in buildings with less energy consumption. With the rising atmospheric temperature and the rapid growth of the urban population along with the negative environmental effects of air-conditioning systems, energy efficient cooling solutions have become more important than ever. This review paper covers the recent developments of the passive cooling methods to provide comfortable indoor environments by natural cooling process and climate responsive building design. The study emphasizes to the main passive cooling methods: natural ventilation, shading systems, thermal mass, evaporative cooling, windcatchers, green roofs, and innovative building material. New advances in adaptive ventilation, smart shading and sustainable architecture are also mentioned. Also, the review will investigate the contribution of passive cooling to achieve a better indoor environment and to enhance the well-being of the occupants. The results show a significant improvement in thermal comfort and a decrease in cooling loads and environmental impacts when multiple passive cooling strategies are combined. In conclusion, passive cooling technologies are viable and sustainable solutions for future building design with an aim to low energy consumption.