HOTELS & LEISURE
Rising to the challenge of getting the airspace right
Ian Rogers, sales director at Gilberts Blackpool, looks at the impact of ventilation on the success – or otherwise – of a hospitality venue
H
ow often do you hear the phrase “It has a great atmosphere”? Yet how many of us appreciate the role of ventilation in the achievement of that atmosphere? Not enough, and
we feel hot and uncomfortable. Too much, and we feel cold.
As we begin to go out and about again, ventilation is more important than ever. It needs to deliver the correct amount of fresh air for the activity and occupancy levels. It goes without saying that the airflow and air change in a hotel bedroom differs massively from that required in a sports hall or swimming pool. It also needs to do so at a comfortable temperature and RH (relative humidity), with appropriate acoustic attenuation, without draughts nor cold spots, without striation, and without pollutants. Ventilation goes beyond the delivery of
fresh air, however. Well-designed and chosen ventilation can play a major role in the overall aesthetics of the internal space: inlets, extracts can be an architectural feature in their own right. This is perfectly demonstrated in the growing use of exposed services, where the ventilation diffusers form a central element of the interior design. The design trend also demonstrates the ventilation industry’s capability to evolve and develop solutions that meet aesthetic, ethical and financial pressures. Such installations also typify the need for all parties in the construction process to work together. Whilst the concept of exposed services looks trendily industrial, it impacts on the ability of standard ventilation diffusers to work properly. With no ceiling, there is no surface for the incoming air to ‘cling’ to. Thus it can ‘dump’ onto the occupants below, making them, feel cold and uncomfortable.
Simple addition of a coanda plate to the diffuser addresses the problem. As an aside, some manufacturers have appreciated the architectural considerations, and can now manufacture bespoke coanda plates so the only limit is the architect’s imagination! With the growing consciousness about the
environment, natural ventilation solutions, or those that optimise this as far as possible, are becoming increasingly prevalent. Natural
ventilation in essence harnesses basic physics of air movement, in which warm air rises, pulling cooler air in at lower level. But there needs to be a chimney to create that draw- it may be a roof terminal in a sports hall, or a stairwell or atrium acting as a ventilation stack in a hotel. The latest evolution is a hybrid system, which ticks the boxes for all involved. It is modular, a stand-alone solution mounted at high level through the external façade to ventilate a single zone or space. In large spaces such as sports halls, units can be mounted vertically. A hybrid system eliminates the need for complex ducting and interconnection with a building management system (BMS). It is low energy, using natural air movement to ventilate the internal space, and recovering heat from the internal, used air as it is exhausted to minimise the variance in temperature between the fresh and the stale.
Latest variants can be specified to include an LPHW coil, providing supplementary heating and removing the need for radiators. Not only does this therefore reduce the build costs, but also releases profitable floor space and eliminates the need to consider and address low surface temperature issues.
There are also options to add filtration to modulate noise and external pollutants. Thus the internal space can be ventilated to the required Regulations for the usage, without the need to open windows.
Extending the modular concept, which simplifies life for designer, contractor and building user, a further development in internal ventilation is thermal control. The concept is proven in practice, already installed in venues as diverse as multi-storey retail outlets, car showrooms and exhibition centres. Thermally-controlled diffusers adjust airflow depending on the internal air temperature. They deliver omni-directional, rotating warm air in the vertical, and cool air in a horizontal direction, thereby eliminating draughts whilst providing rapid and efficient initial warm up and eliminating potential cold spots at low level. Depending on the thermal control technology within, they change the air within the internal space in seconds.
They can accommodate a range of ceiling supply applications, including exposed ductwork, square ceiling grids, clip-in ceilings and perforated ceilings. As Britain re-opens for business, it is crucial that our venues make best use of ventilation to ensure clean air with which to breathe. The challenge is designing and installing solutions that meet that need, but provide benefits for the whole construction supply chain. That challenge is being met; it is up to the specifiers and installers to keep up to speed with the developments, and embrace them, for the wellbeing of us all.
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER AUGUST 2023 13
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