Coupled Simulation
McEwen Graduate Studies and Research Building, Toronto, ON, Canada | Architect: Baird Sampson Neuert | Photo: Tom Arban
The Schulich School of Business is ranked #1 in the world in a global ranking of the top 100 Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs that are preparing future leaders for the environmental, social and ethical complexities of modern-day business. This level of social and environmental responsibility also had to be reflected in the design of a significant new classroom and office building for the school, the McEwan Graduate Studies and Research Building.
The architectural concept hinges on a social gathering space which is the hub of the new building and links back to Schulich’s existing building. The climate concept integrates this space by using it as a driver for all ventilation – natural ventilation is pulled through the building by a solar chimney above the atrium, while mechanical ventilation also passes through the atrium and the lower portion of the chimney. The chimney also serves an architectural beacon for the new building.
The high-performance envelope includes triple glazing throughout and fixed overhangs to reduce overall heating and cooling energy consumption while providing superior thermal comfort. Outside of natural ventilation season, radiant heating and cooling combined with minimum ventilation required for air quality (with heat recovery) maintain space conditions.
On the simulation side, a multi-zone simulation was set up in this project and the atrium was mapped as a multi-airnode model. The short-wave and long-wave radiation in the atrium was distributed geometrically. In combination with TRNFlow for a more detailed airflow simulation, the positions and dimensions of the ventilation openings were optimized and the potential of natural ventilation through thermal stratification was evaluated.