P20-21 Ventilation:Layout 1 28/09/2021 11:11 Page 21 Ventilation


found surrounding levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO²) exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Union guidelines. This is the first time air pollution has been recognised as the cause of a person's death in the UK. London is far from the only place in the UK to exceed pollution limits - thousands of people are directly affected by continually breathing in toxic air. The government's latest data shows that NO² limits are being exceeded in 33 out of 43 air quality assessment zones. Earlier this year, the UK was found guilty by the European Court of Justice of “systematically and persistently” breaching air pollution limits. Measures to tackle air pollution have been announced by the


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government, which cover both NOx (the collective name for Oxides of Nitrogen, with NO and NO² having the most effect on the environment and human health) and PM2.5 (particulate matter which is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets such as soot). It aims to have new legal air pollution limits in place by October 2022, which will be informed by WHO guidelines. The government has also said it will invest an extra £6m for local councils to improve air quality. So, air pollution is being taken seriously and measures are being put in


place, but are we in danger of missing the elephant in the room? We spend 80-90% of our time indoors, and whilst we are at risk of polluted external air entering our homes, that’s not the full story.


What are the indoor pollutants? When it comes to outdoor air pollutants the focus is very much on NO² and PM2.5, with the key emissions sources being transport and domestic fossil fuel burning respectively. For those living near busy roads and in built up areas, these emissions remain a problem indoors as well as outdoors as they readily enter homes around closed doors, through windows etc. But pollution is also generated by activities conducted within the house.


Levels of particulate matter (PM) increase burning fossil fuel such as gas cookers and heaters, and even candles. The cleaning equipment used often contains harmful toxins that accumulate indoors and linger. Even seemingly innocuous items within homes, such as furniture and the very materials these homes are built from, can release potentially harmful pollutants if properties are poorly heated and ventilated. Sadly, this is a much under-studied area and our knowledge of the sources and worst effects of indoor air pollution is lacking.


How to address indoor pollutants The first and easiest thing that everyone can do is to switch to non-toxic cleaning products. The second is to move away from fossil fuels in our home; for most, that means moving to electric. Whilst these two focus on removing the pollutant at source, the third way


to address pollutants in our homes is to disperse them through effective ventilation. Basic mechanical ventilation, such as bathroom and kitchen fans are essential and will remove a level of pollution, but to truly make a difference mechanical ventilation systems are required.


arlier this year, an inquest this year into the 2013 death of a nine-year-old girl found that "excessive" levels of pollution in south-east London contributed to her death. The inquest


With more electrical contractors involved in ventilation than ever before,


this represents a good opportunity to expand your business and add value. But first, you need to understand the basic principles of mechanical ventilation systems and where they are best suited.


Effective ventilation = mechanical ventilation Mechanical ventilation, in the form of intermittent extract, continuous extract or supply & extract, are recognised as the most proficient means of ventilating a modern property. Mechanical Extract Ventilation (MEV) and Mechanical Ventilation with


Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems actively extract air from wet rooms (kitchens, bathrooms, utility spaces) via ducting to a central ventilation unit which exhausts to the atmosphere. In the case of MVHR, there’s the added benefit of supply and extract ventilation combined as these systems reuse waste heat from the extract air and use it to efficiently pre-warm the fresh air drawn into the building using a heat exchanger. The filtered, pre- warmed air is then distributed around the home, effectively meeting part of the heating load in energy efficient dwellings. Domus Ventilation’s new HRXE-HERA and HRXE-AURA MVHR units feature advanced heat exchange proficiency enabling up to 95% of waste heat to be recovered. They come with 100% thermal (summer) bypass which automatically activates when the air temperature reaches a pre-set level, allowing in cooler, fresh, filtered air without warming it through the heat exchanger. Both MEV and MVHR systems provide effective ventilation, are energy efficient and extremely effective at dispersing polluted air. Even with these clever systems, they still rely on bringing outdoor air in


so, in more polluted areas such as cities – you will need to combine them with a filter. The Domus Ventilation NOX-FILT, for example, works on the supply leg of the ducting system of a mechanical ventilation system and prevents up to 99.5% of NO² pollution from entering a home. There are two units in the range with the second one having the added benefit of a PM2.5 pre-filter. Recommending the use of such a filter is a valuable added sale for you and has clear health benefits for the resident, so be sure to raise this with your customers when buying mechanical ventilation systems. Because of the nature of these systems, which require extensive ducting,


they are mostly suited to new-build properties. For existing properties, the most cost-effective options are bathroom and kitchen intermittent extraction fans (Axial and Centrifugal) and Positive Input Ventilation units (PIV). PIV units are a cost-effective method of eliminating moisture from the home by gently pressurising a dwelling to expel stale and humid air through natural ventilation points. They can be mounted either in the loft area of a house, or a hallway cupboard of a flat. Air quality is at last being taken seriously as a genuine threat to our health, but a lot more work needs to be done on understanding indoor air quality. In the meantime, mechanical ventilation systems are a good way to disperse pollutants in our homes and their use is set to expand. For wholesalers, diversifying into this growth area could be an astute move.


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