A few simple measures could help you make significant energy savings, but you should reduce the unwanted and uncontrollable ventilation first. Make sure you:
- Use draught stripping on windows and doors;
- Seal up unwanted or unused doors and fit automatic door closers to all external doors to reduce the risk of them being left open;
- Train staff to resist opening doors and windows on hot days when it is cooler inside, and to reduce the times these are open during cold days.
Controlling ventilation rates in naturally ventilated buildings
- Use openers on different sides of the building to create air currents;
- Use openers at different heights to encourage convective currents. Fresh air enters at lower levels, and as it moves through the space it picks up heat, causing it to rise and draw cooler air in behind it. The warm air exits through openings at high level;
- Keep ventilation airways as free from obstruction as possible; do not block air vents unless they are providing excessive and unwanted ventilation.
Taking control in mechanical ventilated spaces
- Ventilate spaces only if they are occupied, unless the ventilation is being used to cool the building down overnight;
- Make use of the internal and external temperature differences. Use cooler external air to cool the building by increasing the amount of fresh air being drawn into the space. If it is too warm outside, then draw in only enough air to meet the fresh air requirement and re-circulate the cooler internal air as much as possible;
- Locate heat-emitting equipment in one naturally ventilated location to reduce the work required by the mechanical systems.
Making the most of mixed mode
- Reduce running costs by ensuring that if mechanical ventilation is on, windows in the affected areas are opened as little as possible;
- Keep internal doors between natural and mechanical zones closed as much as possible whenever the mechanical systems are operating;
- Minimise the cooling loads in mechanically controlled spaces by ensuring lighting and equipment is only on when required.
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