Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 12:24
Noise from domestic ventilation systems is currently a little understood problem in the UK. Other European countries that have a longer history of using mechanical domestic ventilation systems have introduced noise limits for these systems. Without mandatory limits for noise in UK, noise is not a factor that is often considered during the design. However, noise can be a significant constraint to the use of ventilation systems. Research is reviewed from across Europe and North America that indicates residents turn off ventilation equipment with objectionable noise.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 12:21
Where residential developments rely on opening windows to control overheating, there can be a compromise between allowing excessive noise ingress with windows open, or excessive temperatures with windows closed. This problem is exacerbated by the move towards better insulated, more airtight buildings and the need, particularly in urban areas, to consider development on noisier sites. A working group has been formed by the Association of Noise Consultants to provide guidance on acoustic conditions and design when considering both the provision of ventilation and prevention of overheating.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 12:18
The adverse effect of various indoor pollutants on occupants’ health have been recognized. In public spaces flu viruses may spread from person to person by airflow generated by various traditional ventilation methods, like natural ventilation and mixing ventilation (MV Personalized ventilation (PV) supplies clean air close to the occupant and directly into the breathing zone. Studies show that it improves the inhaled air quality and reduces the risk of airborne cross-infection in comparison with total volume (TV) ventilation.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 12:13
In the context of the PREVENT project, preparing a possible revision of the Belgian residential ventilation standard, the way of expressing ventilation requirements, among others in terms of ventilation flow rates, needs to be investigated. The aim of this paper is to propose and compare ways of expression of the ventilation requirements in terms of flow rates with respect to their robustness across dwellings.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 12:12
Ventilation systems play an important role in providing a good indoor air quality in dwellings. Mechanical exhaust ventilation systems implement natural vents to supply outdoor air to the dwelling. Natural driving forces, i.e. wind and thermal draught, influence the flow rates through these supply vents. Therefore, the flow rates depend on the weather conditions and vary in time. This study considers the influence of the wind and thermal draught on the operation of a mechanical exhaust ventilation system in a reference dwelling.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 12:10
This study presents a comparison of three ventilation systems; automated Natural Ventilation (NV), balanced Mechanical Ventilation (MV) with heat recovery and Hybrid Ventilation (HV) with heat recovery for a new build office building.
The energy demand for heating and electricity as well as the indoor climate of the building were simulated using IESVE. Three key European cities were selected (Copenhagen, Munich and London) in order to investigate the applicability of the principles to different climatic conditions in Europe.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 12:07
More than 64 million pupils spend more time in school than in any other place except home in Europe (European Commission, 2014). The indoor air quality is often a challenge in existing school buildings and the lack of proper ventilation often leads to negative effects like increased absenteeism and sick building syndrome symptoms as well as lowered performance amongst students compared to new buildings.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 12:05
Urban warming, commonly referred to as the ‘Urban Heat Island’ phenomenon (UHI), is a well-established effect that affects cities all over the world. This occurs due to urban physical characteristics such as urban canyon geometry and vegetation, but mainly to its typical materials. The thermal properties of the materials used for the external walls and roofs of buildings, as well as pavements, can have a major influence on the surface temperature. As a consequence of increased temperature, the UHI has an effect on energy consumption for heating and cooling urban buildings.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 11:53
Exposures to airborne fine particulate matter with a diameter of <2.5μm (PM2.5) are linked to multiple negative health effects, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Existing investigations of PM2.5 primarily focus on external sources and exposures, because outdoor air is easier to observe, and therefore, more widely monitored. However, as people spend up to 70% of their time in their own homes, exposures to indoor pollutants could have a greater impact on health. One method of investigating indoor exposures in a stock of houses is by modelling them.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 11/23/2017 - 11:51
CFD simulations were conducted to assess turbulent forced convection heat transfer and pressure drop through a ventilation channel using a stack of panels with different ridge configurations containing Phase Change Material (PCM). First, an experimental rig using an existing commercial panel provided by a PCM manufacturer validates the model simulated in Ansys FLUENT. After that, 3D simulations with different designs were tested until the optimum configuration in terms of heat transfer and pressure drop was achieved.