HEATING, VENTILATION & AIR CONDITIONING 53


ENSURING SAFETY & COMPLIANCE


Ruth MacEachern at EnviroVent looks at ensuring compliance with ventilation regulations and achieving good indoor air quality in new homes.


pproved Document F of Building Regulations has set stringent requirements for ventilation in new homes, with a greater focus on energy effi ciency and environmental sustainability. The updated regulations outline the requirements for ventilation systems in new homes, ensuring that indoor air quality is maintained at acceptable levels due to a reuired increase in airfl ow levels. The regulations specify minimum airfl ow rates, which are measured in litres per second, which are tailored to different room types and the number of bedrooms in a property. This is crucial to prevent the buildup of pollutants and to ensure a healthy living environment. irfl ow measurements must be taken using appropriate equipment and results should be documented for submission to building control. As well as the whole dwelling ventilation rate increase in the last update to Building Regulations, the requirements now state that all habitable rooms must incorporate background ventilation, regardless of the air permeability of the building, when using continuous or intermittent extract ventilation with the exception of MVHR.


A


THE COMMISSIONING PROCESS IS CRUCIAL FOR ENSURING THAT VENTILATION SYSTEMS OPERATE AS INTENDED


Approved Document F works in conjunction with other regulations, such as Part L, which focuses on energy effi ciency, ensuring that improvements in one area do not compromise another. The increasingly stringent targets for indoor air quality have resulted in traditional methods like intermittent fans and trickle vents being inadequate to meet the requirements for new and renovated homes.


The latest industry legislation therefore requires a ‘systems approach’ to ventilation, where a continuous fl ow of fresh air and removal of pollutants are essential to maintaining optimal indoor air quality. This requirement is perfectly compatible with our whole-house ventilation systems, such as MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat


Recovery), c-MEV (Mechanical Extract Ventilation), and d-MEV (Decentralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation). Since ventilation became a controlled service, this means that systems must be installed by a competent person who is registered under a third-party competent persons’ scheme, which is helping to drive up standards.


IMPORTANCE OF IAQ Poor indoor air quality can lead to signifi cant health implications tudies have linked inadequate ventilation to various health issues, including respiratory diseases, heart conditions and even premature death. The World Health Organisation has highlighted that household air pollution is responsible for millions of deaths annually, which highlights the need for effective ventilation systems.


Health risks associated with poor ventilation can include respiratory issues, as prolonged exposure to pollutants can exacerbate conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease  Insuffi cient ventilation can create damp conditions, promoting mould growth that poses additional health


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