Breathe life into your buildings with ventilation controls

The use of natural ventilation (passive ventilation) in buildings has been driven by legislation such as Section J provisions in the BCA. However as consumers have become more aware, the demand for high-performing green buildings has increased.

The need for automation systems capable of delivering either passive or mixed mode ventilation and space cooling in buildings has seen a number of projects such as the UQ Global Change Institute showcase the use of automated facades and thermal chimneys to utilize outdoor airflow created by pressure differences between the building and the external environment.

Stack ventilation (air pressure) and cross ventilation (wind driven) use ambient daytime air to ventilate the internal space whereas night purging is extremely effective at cooling the internal space where daytime air temperatures are otherwise too high to provide effective ventilation.

Window automation can incorporate almost any type of window but is most often associated with architectural glass louvres, awning windows or a combination of both.

A simple ventilation solution can comprise an automated window, rain sensor and switch on the wall. This simple design can be expanded to include a range of internal and external sensors (e.g. Wind and temp) and can be integrated with the mechanical services in such a way that either windows are automatically shut if the building is in heating or cooling mode, or in reverse (our preferred option) mechanical heating or cooling is disabled when the occupant selects natural ventilation.

One of the best examples of a building designed to be naturally ventilated would be Project Barcelona (Northern Beaches Christian School) where the natural ventilation system from EBSA controls the mechanical system so as to maximize the opportunity for naturally ventilated comfort. This simple paradigm shift ensures that primary focus is on user comfort through ventilation with heating and cooling employed only as necessary and not as the default status.