Ventilation in buildings is important because it provides occupants with a healthy and comfortable environment. Natural ventilation goes one step further, using the forces of wind and buoyancy to help air move naturally through a building, rather than using expensive, energy-intensive fans.
The Mechanics
- Wind & Buoyancy: Ventilation is driven by natural air movement.
- Thermal Buoyancy: "Hot air rises... so use it!"
Why Use Natural Ventilation?
There are six primary drivers for adopting natural systems:
- Healthy: Improves occupant well-being.
- Natural: Uses environmental forces.
- Low Cost: Reduces operational expenses.
- Improved Air Quality: Constant fresh air exchange.
- Low Maintenance: Fewer mechanical parts to break.
- Low Energy: Buildings use 60% less energy compared to mechanically ventilated ones.
Common Barriers
| Issue | Cause | Effect |
| Overheating | Warm outside air and high internal gains. | Occupants become too hot; system fails to cool. |
| Cold Draughts | Outside air below 16°C enters directly. | Occupants become too cold; uncomfortable air flow. |
Internal Heat Fact: In a school, each child generates 65W of heat just sitting still. In a 30-person classroom, combined with lighting and IT equipment, the heat gain is equivalent to a 3kW electric fire.
The Solution: Breathing Buildings
We use a "mixing" strategy to overcome seasonal challenges:
- In Summer: Fresh air enters through open windows to cool the space. Heated air is displaced upward and exhausted at a high level.
- In Winter: Windows are closed. Fresh cold air enters at a high level and is pre-mixed with warm room air before reaching occupants.
- The Results: * Heating bills can be cut in half.
- Extra heating is often not needed until outside temperatures drop below 5°C.
Applications & Human Impact
Natural ventilation is suitable for Apartments, Offices, Theatres, Schools, and Hospitals.
- In Offices: Doubling fresh air supply can decrease short-term absence by 35%.
- In Schools: Student performance can increase by 5–10% due to the supply of more fresh air.
Services Offered
Monitoring
Design services
Product solutions
Installation support
Commissioning and user training
Service, maintenance, software upgrades, and extended warranty