Ventilation
A pollutant released indoors is 1000 times more likely to reach a person’s lungs than a pollutant released outdoors
- Germs
- Cleaning Chemicals
- Viruses
- Moisture
- Pollen
- Environmental Pollutants
- Bacteria
Airtight Dwellings
- Dwellings are being built to a higher ‘airtight’ standard
- An airtight building is the formation of a continuous airtight envelope to minimise air leakage
- An airtight dwelling requires less energy as the conditioned air is kept within the building envelope but at the same time traps pollutants and moisture
Types of Ventilation Systems
Positive Pressure Ventilation System (PPVS)
Balanced Pressure Ventilation System (BPVS)
Positive Pressure Ventilation Systems
- Typically forces air into the home from the attic space
- Requires an opening in the building structure to facilitate air change
- Heat energy is forced out and lost
- Works well with older dwellings (built pre-1980) that are leaky but not as well with modern airtight dwellings
Balanced Pressure Ventilation Systems
- Supplies fresh, outdoor air into the home whilst simultaneously extracting stale, indoor air
- For airtight dwellings to ensure adequate ventilation if occupants do not open up their windows/doors regularly
- An airtight home retains heat energy well but also consequently moisture and pollutants
Balanced Pressure Ventilation Systems + Heat Recovery
- Supplies fresh, outdoor air into the home whilst simultaneously extracting stale, indoor air
- For airtight dwellings to ensure adequate ventilation if occupants do not open up their windows/doors regularly
- Recovers heat energy from the outgoing air
