Ventilation is essential for comfort and the control of moisture in the air. Traditionally in homes passive ventilation took care of the requirement using air bricks, chimneys or window trickle vents. More recently extractor fans have been used extensively and further developments include continuous extract or positive pressure ventilation.
With the drive toward energy conservation making buildings air tight is a priority. Increasingly heat-recovery systems are being used to bring in fresh air and remove stale, wet air whilst retaining the heat content.
Ventilation systems often incorporate heating or cooling elements as either a supplementary or primary source within a space. Monitoring of humidity and carbon dioxide levels as well as sufficient air change rates also contribute to the increased complexity of these systems.
When controlled well, the ventilation system ensures the optimum living and working environment as well preventing damp and other moisture related problems.
Windows should also be considered as part of a ventilation control scheme. Electrically operated windows may provide a level of purge ventilation as well as reduction on the use of constant mechanical ventilation. Windows can also be a source of imbalance however – monitoring window open/close states is also important to ensure the air handling system remains balanced and the heating/cooling systems are turned off to prevent waste.
Our approach looks at the whole building solution to help us recommend and implement appropriate measures to ensure the most effective ventilation. Whether you need a dynamic environment where people aggregate, tight control to prevent energy loss or simply to provide a level of automatic control within the home we can help.