Student Short Biography
Sharon Abungu is a graduate architect. She holds a bachelor of architecture degree from University of Nairobi and has a keen interest in environmental design.
She is currently working as the Development Officer at Unity Homes, a leading property developer of residential communities in Kenya. She has been able to work on numerous affordable housing projects while at Unity Homes. These include Unity West (384 units) in Tatu City, Unity East (640 units) in Tatu City, Unity One (1200 units) in Tatu City, Unity Silver (100 town houses) in Tatu City and Universal One (576 units) in Alaro City, Nigeria. She has also worked as a graduate architect at Iris Architects where she was exposed to a wide variety of residential, commercial and institutional projects.
Thesis / Project Title
DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR WALL MOUNTED THERMAL CHIMNEYS IN THE TROPICAL UPLANDS CLIMATE: A CASE OF NAIROBI
Thesis / Project Abstract
Over the last two decades, passive ventilation systems such as thermal chimneys are increasingly being advocated for in buildings due to their ability to provide high air changes per hour by using simple systems and relying on natural forces such as temperature difference and wind speed. The high air changes per hour are important for the health, well-being and productivity of building occupants. This is especially true for offices which require a minimum of 4 air changes per hour. This research sets out to establish design strategies for thermal chimneys in Nairobi, in order to make it possible for office buildings to have at least 4 air changes per hour.
The research uses case studies as the strategy for comprehensive coverage of the topic of study. Thermal chimneys are designed for each office in order to create environments with appropriate air changes per hour that are within the recommended range. Their performance and effects on air changes per hour are investigated using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Suggestions for optimum construction design of thermal chimneys have been put forward based on a number of simulation results. This provides direction for future developments of offices in Westlands, Nairobi
Research Supervisors
- ARCH. MUSAU KIMEU
- ARCH. JOSEPH MUKEKU