VENTILATION & AIR MOVEMENT T


he box is of course the building. In the drive towards energy efficiency, Building Regulations push towards creating a sealed


envelope. But we all know that buildings need to breathe- not just for the health & wellbeing of the occupants, but the fabric of the building. It’s how we control that airflow that is critical,


and for us all in the HVAC industry, how we achieve it in as energy efficient a manner as possible. It’s not just for the good of the planet. It’s also a realistic commercial decision- energy efficiency means lower fuel bills which impact on the bottom line of every business. To keep improving, we need to think outside the


box. The industry is doing just that, moving away from the convention that dictates, in commercial environments, we have mechanical air conditioning plant that supplies fresh and extracts used air at high level. We’re going in numerous other directions to get air in and out of the box! The green initiative is seeing a rise in demand


for natural ventilation. It’s after all the greenest option we have, but in modern buildings it is not always the practical solution to achieve the necessary (compliant) levels of air movement and indoor air quality required. Hence the rise in popularity of hybrid systems which in theory offer the best of both worlds- natural ventilation as far as possible, relying only on low energy fan boost when necessary.


This typifies that outside the box approach. Today,


we can utilise hybrid systems that use façade penetrations to draw fresh air in from outside and circulate within the space. Transfer grilles enable that air to be channelled deeper into the building. Internal stairwells can be brought into the equation to form chimneys, drawing the air up and through the building. The latest evolution is hybrid systems that


recover heat from the exhaust air and safely transfer it to the cooler incoming air, thereby reducing the heating demand and associated energy to deliver that warmth.


Moving outside the box in ventilation design


It might seem like stating the obvious, but building services involve a box. Our whole raison d’etre is how to move air in and out of that box, efficiently. That’s according to Dave Harding, sales & marketing director at Gilberts Blackpool


It’s proving a popular alternative: our own


Mistrale Fusion Deo MFS-HR for example has exceeded our sales forecasts by 250%! It helps that such systems are engineered to work with solar panels for their little energy consumption. The ever-improving heat recovery performance has the knock-on effect that the lower demand for warming the building means less electricity so fewer solar panels. Fewer solar panels means reduced cost- not just for the physical equipment, but potentially in the structural considerations with weight loadings on the roof. This route can even result in a building being carbon negative! Defying convention is also seeing a growth in under floor air distribution- up 8% according to latest data(1). Typically the floor void is used as the ventilation plenum with floor grilles delivering fresh air at low level. In theory it’s more energy efficient as the air is delivered more immediately where it is needed. Heating and cooling is quickly and effectively delivered where the occupants are. Excess heat generated by the occupants- people and machines- and airborne pollutants are displaced upwards and out, optimising indoor air quality and comfort. Now, floor-mounted swirl diffusers are being introduced into the equation. Their omni- directional airflow further enhances the air circulation efficiency and its role in maintaining the


20 January 2026


www.heatingandventilating.net


indoor air quality and comfort levels. As a result it can contribute towards LEED, Well and of course BREEAM. Swirl diffusers have added appeal for the building’s occupants in today’s agile office environments. Because they are not ducted, they can be easily repositioned anywhere across the floor plan depending on changing usage of the space. To be successful in our HVAC solutions, we


all need to go beyond our comfort zones. To think outside the box to not just address energy efficiency, but to do it in a way that makes good sense from all perspectives-those of us within the industry but as importantly for the client! The key is to work with partners who have the same objective and who are proven to work with you for the best outcome.


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