Canada's Space Centre in St Hubert, Quebec, is a new 27,870 m2 complex which was awarded first place in the ASHRAE Technology Awards (1996) for new commercial buildings. A dual duct ventilation system was installed to provide a comfortable and pleasant research environment. Dual duct systems, which are the heart of the mechanical concept, provide high indoor-air quality, along with design flexibility, energy efficiency and low capital costs.
The development of guidelines for smart innovative mechanical ventilation systems is a task included in an ongoing research project partly supported by the European Commission in the framework of the Joule programme "TIPVENT - Towards Improved Performances of mechanical Ventilation systems". Before starting the actual work with the guidelines a survey was carried out to determine the level of current design methods for ventilation systems in the participating countries (Belgium, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland).
Ventilation is pivotal both in terms of indoor air quality and environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions. It also has a major impact on energy use in buildings. It is important, therefore that the role md impact of ventilation is filly understood. The purpose of this paper is to review these aspects with particular reference to recent research and developments. Key aspects are concerned with the role of ventilation in maintaining good indoor air quality, ensuring the quality of the outdoor air and incorporating strategies to ensure good ventilation performance.
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