Modeling and simulation of windows with noise mitigation and natural ventilation

Noise is one of the most important factors which determine the livability in urban areas. It is common that buildings will be exposed to higher ambient noise level generated by various noise sources, as we intensify the land use. In a high density living countries like Singapore, the building envelop often constitutes to the primary path for external noise sources to travel into the living environment. Therefore it is desirable to develop windows which can address the issue of high noise levels while maintaining natural ventilation. It is often challenging and time consuming when one tries to design optimized windows by conducting extensive tests. Here we present a numerical approach to analyze the acoustic performance of ventilation windows. In particular, the sound reduction index of open single glazing and open double glazing will be evaluated using the proposed model. This gives us the numerical platform and basis for further developing real windows, which may also include the use of smart materials or active control elements.