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What Is Low Energy Ventilation?
Traditionally, ventilation has been a process that requires the application of a lot of energy, especially if the structure you need to ventilate is a large one, like a business, public building, or school. Fans, central airflow systems, and other methods of providing ventilation and higher air quality need a lot of power to do their job. However, a new method of keeping the air inside a structure pleasant and healthy has recently been developed. It's low energy ventilation. Wondering what it is, and how it works? Here are some of the basics.
Ventilation in structures is the intentional moving of air from outside to inside. It's important for keeping the air fresh and of high quality, as well as for moving smoke, water vapor, odors, and dangerous cases outside. Most small structures use natural ventilation, from air moving through windows and doors. Larger buildings can't effectively make use of this method, so mechanical ventilation, using fans or air handling units is required. However, in low energy ventilation, natural ventilation methods can be extended to larger buildings, using a variation on the solar chimney or solar stack. When combined with a vent at the bottom of the chimney, heat keeps the air moving in the bottom and out the top of the chimney. That makes the air cycle into and out of the building by itself – without the need for any fans.
Since buildings consume as much as forty percent of the energy we produce for lighting, heating, and ventilating them, a low energy method of ventilation is an important step. It's ideal to help reduce the energy use and expense of running schools and offices, and can work in private houses, too. Using a solar, or e-stack method of low energy ventilation, the amount of energy required for ventilating and heating can be reduced by as much as fifty percent, in addition to the advantages a naturally ventilated building (made using high-spec insulation and good design) already has. Well designed naturally ventilated buildings already use a third less to half as much energy than a building with conventional air conditioning. The benefits of low energy ventilation are added to that.
There are several different methods for implementing low energy ventilation in a building. Which one you choose will depend on how your building functions. If you're not sure what to do, consult an architect who's experienced in dealing with alternative and natural ventilation methods. He or she will have some good advice, and will help you put together a building that will be healthy and save energy in the long run.
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