This study is concerned with the design of a solar chimney to induce ventilation in a building. CFD modelling techniques were used to assess the impacts of inclination angle, double glazing and low-emissivity finishes on the induced ventilation rate. It was found that for a south-facing chimney, an inclination angle of 67.5 degrees from the horizontal was optimum for the location chosen, giving 11% greater efficiency than the vertical chimney, and that a 10% higher efficiency was obtained by using a low-emissivity wall surface. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.