Acoustically protected natural ventilation offers significant benefits to building occupants and owners by providing fresh air, connection to the outdoors, and low-energy cooling while mitigating troublesome noise. Although there are international project precedents and even manufactured products, this strategy is virtually unheard of in North America.
This paper introduces North American audiences to acoustically protected natural ventilation (AP-NV) and encourages its adoption. We first review project and product precedents before demonstrating its viability by sharing a prototype tested in a typical New York loft office. Acoustic and airflow measurements confirm the efficacy of the strategy, while survey results confirm the demand from occupants.