The present study aims at assessing the geo-climatic potential applicability of controlled natural ventilation (CNV) as a natural ventilative cooling (NVC) technique in the Mediterranean area. This assessment was carried following two approaches: (1) a climate-dependent evaluation of the NVC potential of different locations considering a "virtual space"; (2) a calculation of the NVC potential of different locations considering a "real" building through dynamic energy simulations. According to the first approach, a method to assess the potential cooling energy demand as well as NVC was developed though a parametrical analysis of the typical meteorological year (TMY) related to 50 reference cities representing the variety of climate zones of the Mediterranean area. Based on the second approach, the influence of local climate as well as building characteristics on NVC potential was assessed through dynamic energy simulations on an office building unit located in the 50 reference cities. The software Design Builder with EnergyPlus code was used to simulate the cooling energy reduction due to NVC over an extended period (May-October), varying building envelop physical parameters and AC/CNV configurations in a reduced sample of locations (8) selected amid the overall sample on the basis of Koppen-Geiger climate classification. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.