windfriendliness

Windfriendliness refers to the degree to which a structure, object, or environment is designed to minimize negative impacts from wind, or to intentionally utilize wind in a beneficial way. It encompasses considerations for both human comfort and the structural integrity of buildings and infrastructure.

In urban planning and architecture, windfriendliness often involves understanding and mitigating wind tunnel effects. These occur when tall buildings channel and accelerate wind at street level, creating uncomfortable or even hazardous conditions for pedestrians. Design strategies to improve windfriendliness include orienting buildings to deflect wind, incorporating windbreaks like trees or screens, and shaping facades to reduce wind pressure. Building codes in some areas include provisions to assess and address potential wind issues.

Beyond mitigating negative effects, windfriendliness can also involve harnessing wind energy. This is most commonly seen in the placement and design of wind turbines, which are engineered to efficiently capture kinetic energy from the wind. The concept can also extend to the design of sailing vessels, kites, and even certain types of architecture that are intentionally designed to interact with prevailing winds for ventilation or passive cooling. The assessment of windfriendliness often involves computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and wind tunnel testing.