Ventilation

Ventilation is the action of creating air renewal through movement in an enclosed space, aimed at improving the indoor environment, providing fresh and healthy air to the occupants of buildings. It is often installed in areas where oxygen might be lacking as well as in places where harmful substances or pollutants could accumulate in the air.

Types of Ventilation

There are two main types of ventilation: natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation.

Natural ventilation is governed by the phenomenon of natural convection caused by temperature variations, resulting in air movement from the bottom to the top. This type of ventilation is possible in winter. In contrast, during summer, the airflow may reverse and the air could move in the opposite direction. Air circulates due to pressure differences and wind. The openings for air intake, air extraction, and vents are manually or mechanically controlled.

Controlled mechanical ventilation, also known as CTV, allows for the mechanical creation of airflow. It is a process by which dynamic air movements are generated using a fan through ducts. There are different types of CTV, including adjustable CTV, hydro-adjustable CTV, and dual-flow CTV.

How to Ventilate?

A ventilation system that meets standards and can ensure a certain level of respiratory comfort and well-being for occupants must take into account:

• • A fresh air intake in dry rooms such as offices, meeting rooms, bedrooms, and living rooms (air inlet).
  • A air outlet from humid areas such as restrooms, locker rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms (extraction vent).
  • An air transfer from dry rooms to humid rooms (from an air inlet).
  • Optimal management to ensure desired air levels while minimizing energy loss.

Why is Ventilation Necessary?

Three major reasons justify ventilation.

• Energy management: to ventilate a room effectively, it is imperative that the space be airtight. Perfect ventilation and an airtight room go hand in hand to achieve a comfortable building.
• Ensuring air quality: humans spend on average 80 to 90% of their time indoors, breathing often more polluted air than outside. Therefore, it is necessary to ventilate to remove polluted air and moisture present in the air.
• Oxygenating the building: as long as a building is sealed and combustion appliances are installed inside, it is essential to ensure the building's oxygenation; providing the necessary oxygen supply for the combustion of the heating system.

• While it is certainly good to install a quality ventilation system, it is even better to maintain it, keeping it clean. Therefore, the extraction vents should be cleaned at least once a quarter. The air intake vents should be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned with care before being reassembled.