Trial / Demo
Anil Jaswani successfully used IES Virtual Environment (IESVE) for a one-of-a-kind, naturally ventilated educational building designed to provide thermal comfort without the use of artificial cooling, heating or lighting.
Rani Ratnavati Girls' School: Anil Jaswani from D2O
Anil Jaswani successfully used IES Virtual Environment (IESVE) for a one-of-a-kind, naturally ventilated educational building designed to provide thermal comfort without the use of artificial cooling, heating or lighting.
The Rani Ratnavati Girls' School in Jaisalmer, India, is situated in the heart of the Thar Desert, where temperatures soar above 45°C (113°F) in summer. With IESVE, this project demonstrated the power of passive design strategies in creating a sustainable, comfortable learning environment.
The school, designed using local Jaisalmer sandstone, features thick walls, shaded courtyards, and a strategic, oval shape that optimizes natural airflow and minimizes heat gain. Its orientation, open-air design, and perforated jali screens help regulate temperature while ensuring sufficient natural daylight.
This wasn't just another building project, it was a vision rooted in culture, climate, and community. The school was designed to function without air conditioning, fans, or artificial lighting, and yet, it delivers year-round comfort and usability entirely through passive architectural strategies.
To validate the thermal performance of this unique design, IESVE was used to:
The results showed the building consistently stayed cooler than outdoor desert conditions, with indoor temperatures 5-8°C lower than outdoors in summer, achieved without any mechanical cooling
Form That Moves Air
A cornerstone of the building’s passive performance is its ability to facilitate natural ventilation, a feature that was extensively tested and visualized using IESVE.
Rather than relying on mechanical systems, the architectural form was digitally modeled to understand how airflow patterns respond to desert winds, internal heat gains, and occupancy. Through detailed airflow and comfort simulations, IESVE confirmed that the building could maintain acceptable indoor air quality and thermal comfort using passive strategies alone.
IESVE validated the role of:
The simulation process proved that the building’s elliptical geometry, materiality, and envelope design combined to generate a self-regulating interior environment, modeled, analyzed, and validated entirely through IESVE.
Innovation and Impact
Anil Jaswani from Design2Occupancy Services LLP used IESVE to create a true net-zero energy building while achieving exceptional thermal comfort. The school is a groundbreaking example of how IESVE advanced simulation tools can shape the future of sustainable architecture. The sustainable architecture challenged conventional building norms, proving that modern comfort can be achieved in extreme conditions without relying on mechanical systems. This model establishes a significant benchmark for future energy-efficient schools and colleges.
"Through detailed IESVE simulation and analysis, we've designed an innovative school that works with the desert climate, achieving 100% natural ventilation and meeting net-zero energy goals."
Anil Jaswani, Building Performance Specialist, Design2Occupancy Services LLP
