As we march through 2024 with an intense focus on achieving net zero buildings, one mantra must guide the construction industry: Insulate AND Ventilate. It's no longer an option to prioritise just one side of this equation when it comes to Indoor Air Quality.
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Insulation |
Ventilation |
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Purpose |
Improve energy efficiency, prevent heat loss |
Ensure good indoor air quality (IAQ), extract indoor pollutants |
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Focus Areas |
Airtight construction, double/triple glazing, sustainable heating (heat pumps, solar) |
Mechanical systems like MVHR to provide fresh air supply and extract stale air |
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Benefits |
Reduces emissions, lowers heating/cooling costs |
Improves occupant health/wellbeing, removes particulates (PM10, PM2.5, PM1), CO2, VOCs |
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Risks if Not Addressed |
Higher energy usage, emissions |
Poor IAQ, buildup of indoor pollutants, potential health issues |
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Regulations |
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Considerations |
Insulation levels, glazing, airtightness |
Fresh air supply rates, air circulation, filtration, heat recovery |
The Incomplete Solution
Make no mistake, insulation measures like airtight construction, high-performance glazing, and sustainable heating systems like heat pumps are crucial for improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions. However, this approach alone is incomplete and potentially counterproductive without robust ventilation strategies.
The Hidden Indoor Hazard
By sealing buildings to prevent heat loss without providing proper mechanical ventilation, we inadvertently trap a host of indoor pollutants - particulate matter, CO2, volatile organic compounds and more. This severely compromises indoor air quality (IAQ) and puts occupant health and wellbeing at risk.
The Two-Pronged Approach
Ventilation is equally vital to constantly introduce fresh outdoor air while exhausting stale indoor air along with its accumulated contaminants. The ideal solution leverages the strengths of insulation and ventilation synergistically. Minimising heat transfer through the envelope on one side, while facilitating steady air exchanges to dilute indoor pollution on the other.
Ventilation System Options
Achieving this balanced approach can be realised through systems like:
- Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR)
- Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs)
- Positive Input Ventilation (PIV)
- Mechanical Extract Ventilation (MEV)
- Natural/Passive Ventilation
The Right Fit is Key
Proper ventilation system selection is crucial to delivering adequate fresh air based on the building, climate, and project requirements. But the overarching principle is clear - realising the full benefits of energy efficiency without compromising air quality, thermal comfort or sustainability demands a dual-pronged insulation AND ventilation approach.
As we forge ahead in our net zero journey, letting this mantra guide building strategies will be paramount for creating truly high-performing, sustainable indoor environments. Insulation OR ventilation is no longer enough - we must insist on BOTH.
How BESA can help
IAQ is a focus area for BESA. BESA members have access to a dedicated Indoor Air Quality area to help raise awareness of the importance of indoor air quality, the conditions of air inside buildings and how our sector can work together to make buildings safe havens.
BESA's IAQ Action Group aims to provide clearer technical guidance for members and the industry at large on this important topic and also to raise awareness at government level; with the general public; and across the sector. BESA has also produced a range of concise guides to good practice: 'A Beginner's Guide to Indoor Air Quality', ‘Indoor Air Quality for Health & Well-Being’, and 'Building's as Safe Havens' which are designed to help building owners, managers and engineers interpret IAQ data and turn it into useful strategies for improving the indoor environment.