INDUSTRY NEWS
CLEAN AIR DAY HIGHLIGHTS HEALTH CASE FOR BETTER VENTILATION
T
he important role played by mechanical ventilation systems in protecting human health was a central theme of this year’s
National Clean Air Day on June 16. Research released by the event’s organiser Global
Action Plan established for the fi rst time that air pollution aff ects every major organ in the human body, but that most people think it is only harmful to their lungs.
An air monitoring exercise carried out by the national news website Mail Online in collaboration with ventilation company Nuaire also revealed potentially harmful indoor pollution in hospitality, transport, and offi ce buildings around London. Some of the results were described as ‘scary’ – with particularly high readings for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM). A webinar hosted by the Building Engineering
Services Association (BESA) also analysed the indoor air quality (IAQ) of multiple sites around the country with experts calling for much wider use of existing techniques for controlling and diluting pollution inside buildings. “49% of people think air pollution is connected to
worsening asthma symptoms…and 44% also rightly connect it to poor lung function development, 42% to bronchitis, and 35% to lung cancer,” a Clean Air Day
increasingly sophisticated devices can help building operators improve their understanding of the problem, according to Mazen Jamal from Airthings for Business. “You need more than just a snapshot of what is going on to fully understand the underlying issue as the levels and types of pollutants change continually,” he said. “That is why we are starting to see greater take-up of monitoring on a subscription basis, so users pay for long-term measuring that can inform their maintenance strategies.” The BESA panellists agreed that upgrading
ventilation should be tackled as part of the government’s push for Net Zero, which will require most buildings to be refurbished and/or retrofi tted with more eff ective building services technologies. One example would be wider use of mechanical
statement said. “However, only 12% associate it with strokes, 10% with dementia, and 18% poor brain development.”
Threat
Nuaire board director Stuart Smith said the sites visited by the Mail Online almost certainly had ventilation systems, but they were not doing their job eff ectively. “Some of the results are staggering with huge spikes in VOC and CO2 readings in popular hospitality venues at relatively quiet times of the day.”
More long-term monitoring of IAQ using
ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems, which “kill two birds with one stone”, according to Smith, because they provide air fi ltration while reducing the amount of energy needed to heat the building.
Consequences
Many ventilation systems now include automated controls that help to manage the air quality and Hern Yau of Mitsubishi Electric said this would play an increasingly key role. However, he added that it was also important for end users to be able to see IAQ data, so they recognise that their own action (or inaction) had consequences.
HELPING BUSINESSES MAKE THE SWITCH
effi ciency condensing water heaters, according to Baxi Commercial Solutions technical director Andy Green. Mr Green said: “Under the revised regulations,
all direct-fi red water heaters must now achieve a minimum heat generator seasonal effi ciency of 91% (GCV) for natural gas and 92% (GCV) for liquefi ed petroleum gas (LPG). For indirect-fi red water heaters, the minimum heat generator seasonal effi ciency is set at 91% (GCV) for both natural gas and LPG. The new requirements apply to both existing and new non- domestic building stock. Eff ectively, the uplift ends the option to carry
Andy Green A
s updates to Approved Document L of Building Regulations ruling out non- condensing direct-fi red water heaters
come into force, the hot water industry will be instrumental in ensuring a seamless switch to higher
out like-for-like non-condensing water heater replacements in the vast majority of non-domestic buildings in favour of higher effi ciency condensing units.
The changes are part of the government’s roadmap to help the UK move towards its Net Zero target by 2050 by improving the energy effi ciency of existing non-domestic buildings. The valuable energy-saving benefi ts to end
users from upgrading to condensing water heaters, which are on average up to 20% more effi cient than
non-condensing models, are clear. The move will help mitigate soaring energy bills while reducing carbon and NOx emissions for a more sustainable installation – particularly when combined with heat pumps to deliver more economical heat without compromising on peak hot water demands. However, given that factors like fl ueing and
condensate arrangements will need to be taken into consideration and assessed on a project-by-project basis, it’s important to encourage businesses to plan ahead. Taking action now will help protect their operations in the future and avoid potentially costly, extended downtime and disruption. Experienced manufacturers have prepared for the changes, with many expanding their high effi ciency condensing water heater ranges as well as off ering customer awareness training and free site visits to assist with sizing and recommend the most appropriate solutions. Working together, we can help ensure a smooth
transition to a more sustainable and future-proof hot water system that meets all project and legislative requirements.’
6 July 2022
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Photo: Israel Andrade
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