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 | | NATURALLY VENTILATED AIRCON OFFERS CAPITAL HONOURS | | | Passivent | | 19/06/2008 | | | An innovative ventilation system is helping a company displaced by the 2012 Olympics site beat Government targets for cutting carbon emissions and achieve a ‘very good’ BREEAM* rating.
Capital Print, one of the UK’s leading marketing campaign solutions companies, is one of several organisations that have relocated into custom-built premises at Beckton Waterfront, in London’s East End, as a result of the 2012 Olympics zone development.
The Capital unit is one of four on the new site that features the award-winning Mixed Mode system, which uses a Passivent natural ventilation system to efficiently and effectively ventilate the building, supplemented when necessary by a Mitsubishi Electric City Multi air conditioning system to give both fresh air and complete environmental control.
The Mixed Mode system is the leading element of several sustainable strategies being utilised by Capital, including photovoltaic technology and solar water heating. Combined, they obtained a BREEAM assessment rating of ‘very good’, and have reduced Capital’s carbon emissions by 12.7% compared to the Government target of 10%.
“As a company we have long been committed to choosing the most environmentally-friendly path, so the relocation gave us an opportunity to custom-build and incorporate features designed to conserve power and minimise carbon emissions,” explained Rav Gill of Capital Print.”
“The Mixed Mode system gave us a low carbon solution to ensure all our offices and meeting rooms are well ventilated throughout but always at a comfortable temperature – neither too hot in summer nor too cold in the depths of winter.”
Sixteen Passivent Aircool wall ventilators draw fresh air into the ground and first floor offices and first floor meeting room. Nine suspended ceiling louvres draw the fresh air across the depth of the space and exhaust ‘used’ air up concealed ducting to nine Airstract high capacity roof terminals.
The system enables finite occupant control via individual room over-rides, internal temperature sensors and carbon dioxide sensors, linked to an external weather station that monitors the external air temperature, wind speed and direction.
The entire ventilation strategy is controlled by a Mitsubishi Electric programmable logic controller, which constantly monitors air temperature and quality within the building and adjusts ventilation levels as required. Should internal temperatures rise above or below presets, or should air quality diminish below set standards, the intelligent system triggers the air conditioning and then controls it to ensure it runs long enough to achieve the pre-determined comfort levels.
Tests by Brunel University showed the Mixed Mode system produces energy savings of 41% over a conventional air conditioning and ventilation system.
Natural ventilation systems further yield 75% savings on maintenance costs, and eliminate the need for a separate plant room and because the system operates constantly, it also provides ‘free’ night cooling when the building is unoccupied, removing unwanted heat build up and reducing the need for energy consumption by up to 40% the following day to bring the interior to the required air temperature and quality.
Natural ventilation is also proven to reduce incidence of ‘sick building syndrome’ and improve staff performance, so the Mixed Mode system from Passivent and Mitsubishi Electric offers the Capital building the best of both worlds. | |
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