Ventilation in Termite Mound : New Solution for Follow in Architecture

The airflow in building environment is a strategy that could provide indoor thermal comfort conditions in warm and dry environment. Therefore, formation of ventilation inside buildings is essential. In the meantime, the nature has some structures, which have created much potential in the natural ventilation. Thus, this research aims to provide a mechanism for improving natural ventilation in the building to recognize the effective features in the termite mound, as a successful natural structure in hot and dry climate. In order to conduct this research, extensive examples of termite mounds were studied, which were located in the hot and dry climate. The research tool was the library studies carried out so far in the field of biology, which provide strategies to promote natural ventilation system in the building after recognizing the process of termite mound ventilation and its effective factors. The results indicate that wind, water, temperature differences, and the form of inner channels of the mound have an important role in natural ventilation. These factors require vertical ducts inside the building in order to streamline the air. However, other features such as the materials applied in the termite mound and placing in the ground reduce the heat dissipation inside mound building, but these features have no effect on the process of natural ventilation inside the mound.