INTERIORS The smart approach to MVHR
MVHR is widely specified to deliver internal air quality required in increasingly airtight new dwellings, however as John Kelly at Airflow Developments explains, the next step to efficiency is to integrate smart, internet-capable systems
ressure for all new buildings to be low energy, plus the requirement for more affordable living developments as well as low-cost eco homes – allied to an increased desire from homeowners to be greener and reduce energy bills – is driving greater insulation and increasingly hermetic sealing of buildings.
P
Whether a building is earmarked for domestic private housing or social housing, architects will be focused on the need to provide effective ventilation to counteract reduced air infiltration rates. This is because a sealed building is more susceptible to damp, mould and condensation, especially in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms where higher levels of heat and moisture are generated through activities such as cooking and bathing. Without effective ventilation the building fabric can deteriorate leading to costly and time-consuming repair work. It can also pose potentially serious health problems for homeowners. We spend more than 90 per cent of our time indoors and when you consider the average adult requires 15,000 litres of clean air every day, you begin to see how crucial effective ventilation solutions are to extract stale and polluted air and providing fresh, healthy air to occupants. Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) is a solution to the problem, continuously preheating the incoming cool supply air using heat from outgoing exhaust air. Heat which would otherwise be expelled is therefore put to use, thanks to a heat exchanger. In some cases,
We spend more than 90 per cent of our time indoors and the average adult requires 15,000 litres of clean air every day
ADF OCTOBER 2016
this technology can achieve upwards of 90 per cent thermal efficiency.
Smart control
It has been estimated that 41 per cent of UK homeowners currently have some form of connected technology installed in their home; by 2020 it is predicted every household will contain an average of 10 connected devices. This, plus homeowners becoming more energy aware means that smart ventilation systems capable of allowing real-time monitoring and control of indoor air environments via a computer or portable device – at home or on the move – are becoming a wise specification choice. The integration of smart ventilation can help homeowners reduce energy consumption and maximise indoor air quality. Units designed with different profiles to choose from offer users the ability to program the units according to their personal routines and preferences. Setting ventilation to ‘Away’ during workdays will ensure the unit recognises the decreased levels of CO2
and avoid unnecessary heat
recovery and ventilation into the premises – reducing energy costs and wastage. Some smart MVHR units also have the option to install two external switches. This allows one switch to be set to ‘Boost’ profile within a kitchen or bathroom to accommo- date for fluctuating indoor atmospheres, and another can be programmed to alter- nate between ‘Home’ and ‘Away’ profiles – saving energy simultaneously. Architects should also expect internet- capable MVHR systems to be designed with an integrated humidity sensor that monitors the humidity level of the dwelling and auto- matically adjusts the ventilation to an optimal level.
Specifying a unit that incorporates frost protection so the unit does not freeze in the winter, and a 100 per cent effective summer
Smart ventilation can help homeowners reduce energy consumption and maximise indoor air quality
67
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84