Snow drift challenged garage doors.
When a solid foundation skirt is used on a building, or when a building, such as a garage, is placed on grade the placement of doors is critical, as large drifts will form against the downwind façade (above) . Site con- straints or viewing requirements may not permit adjusting the building’s orientation or relocating doors in order to avoid the drift prone façade. Wind deflectors are solutions for this problem and have been used on many buildings in the Arctic. The two pictures below illustrate the basic concept and application of a wind deflector. It is designed to project above the roof surface to capture the wind flowing over the roof and redirect it down a building’s wind-sheltered but drift prone façade. The redirected wind flow scours snow away from the entrance.
From day one respect the fact that snow drifting will occur. Where there is a choice, select a site or building location on a site where upwind snow collection already occurs due to the terrain or existing buildings, and where existing drifts or those created can be accommo- dated. Develop a building orientation and site access in the schematic or concept design stage that take advantage of wind scour and drift pat- terns associated with a porous or solid skirted foundation. Finally, fine tune the detailed design (roof configuration, entry design, wind deflec - tors) to avoid local drifting or utilize wind flows to alter drift location. The adage that you can’t fight nature is very true. The various planning and design measures presented have been developed to work with and accept nature’s drifting snow challenges rather than conquer them.
Wind deflector above Health Centre entrance in Clyde River, Nunuvut. With - out it, the entrance would have a drift similar to the one by the flag pole.
Wind deflector captures roof level winds and scours snow from the entrance.
On Site review 11
68
Spring 2004
Architecture of the Circumpolar Region
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