ROOFLIGHTS & ROOF VENTS
Breathe easy with natural
ventilation, says Kingspan
Jonathan Dore, commercial director of Kingspan Light + Air, talks to RCI about the benefits of using natural
ventilation systems when looking for ways to introduce more fresh air into our buildings
A recent report by the Institute
of Environmental Design and
Engineering at University
College London and the
University of Cambridge chemistry
department found that children in London
schools are exposed to higher levels
of damaging air pollution inside their
classrooms than outside. As our awareness
of the impact our internal environments
have on our health grows, so too does the
demand for buildings that can provide the
best conditions for living, learning and
working, including good air quality.
Natural ventilation systems are a
cost-effective and eco-friendly way to
introduce more fresh air into a space
and, when used in combination with
daylighting strategies, can offer a
single-component solution that offers
real value for building owners and
occupants.
Importance of air quality
If you have ever spent time in a stuffy
room, you will know how draining
and suffocating it can be. In addition
to feeling extremely uncomfortable,
being in an inadequately ventilated
room for too long can cause a range
of health issues – from itchy eyes and
headaches to aggravating symptoms
of serious conditions such as asthma.
Increased humidity in the air can also
cause condensation and mould growth,
triggering further health concerns.
Environments that have suitable
ventilation can provide significant
benefits to occupants’ health and
productivity, and add value to built
assets. For example, it has been
demonstrated that productivity can
range from 61% to 100% higher in
workspaces that use natural ventilation
effectively and have lower levels of
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
than the average office building. The
Better Places for People campaign, led
by the World Green Building Council,
has also published a report that presents
the business case for creating healthier
environments, such as the fact that
building owners consider healthy
buildings to be worth at least 7% more
than standard ones, as well as being
easier to let and providing premium
rates.
1: The Kingspan Kapture Air Rooflights oer combines the latest rooflight
technology with an opening mechanism for a single-component light and
ventilation solution
2: Kingspan Kapture’s precision-engineered shape and triple-glazed
polycarbonate layers maximises both light transmission and diusion, whilst
a motorised actuator allows warm air to escape and fresh natural air to enter
the building
“Environments that have suitable
ventilation can provide signifcant
benefits to occupants’ health and
productivity, and add value to built
assets”
An all-natural approach
We are all familiar with the idea that “hot air rises”.
Rather than relying on energy-hungry mechanical
methods, roof vents or opening rooflights use the
natural driving forces of wind and thermal ‘buoyancy’
to extract stale air and replace it with fresh air from
outside. This oxygenates the room, dilutes and
disperses pollutants, reduces odours and humidity,
and can help to regulate internal temperatures in the
warmer months.
In addition to being ‘free-running’, natural air
solutions are easy to install and maintain as they do
not require regular filter replacements and checks.
What’s more, natural ventilation strategies can be
incorporated with the latest rooflight
technology for a single-component
solution that further exploits natural
sources for the benefit of the occupants,
owners and the surrounding
environment.
Light and air
Modern rooflights have been developed
to maximise both light transmission
and diffusion, flooding the internal
space with good-quality natural light
that is beneficial to occupants. Using
motorised opening mechanisms,
these can be adapted to offer natural
ventilation at the touch of a button.
Many units can also be supplied
with wind and rain sensors to avoid
cold draughts or water coming in
through a rooflight that has been
left open.
As well as being more cost-effective
and easier to install, as one product
and opening in the roof can supply
both light and air, these types of
rooflights are particularly well-suited
to roof refurbishment applications
where the new higher levels of thermal
performance and airtightness require
better ventilation strategies.
By pairing these features with lowenergy
lighting and heat recovery systems,
building owners can maximise the longterm
financial benefits of these measures,
as well as ensuring their building
performs efficiently all year round.
System suppliers can also use
modern modelling techniques to
provide accurate upfront estimates of
the energy and cost savings that can be
achieved over several years.
A breath of fresh air
With both wellness and energy
efficiency becoming a priority in
building design and construction,
it is important that installers can
provide solutions which meet these
requirements without adding additional
costs or time to the project. Opening
rooflights provide a simple, two-inone
solution for bright and airy spaces
suitable for everyday living.
w www.kingspanlightandair.co.uk
52 www.rcimag.co.uk November 2018
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