NatVent European project: guidance on technical solutions for low energy ventilation in office buildings.

NatVent™ is a seven nation pan-European project which aims to reduce primary energy consumption (and consequently C02 emissions) in buildings by providing solutions to barriers which prevent the uptake of natural ventilation and low-energy cooling in countries with moderate and cold climates. It also aims to encourage and accelerate the use of natural ventilation and 'smart' controls as the main design option in new-designs and major refurbishments of office-type buildings. This paper reports on the current findings of the task to provide solutions by developing 'smart' natural ventilation technology systems and component solutions to overcome the identified technical barriers. This includes the investigation of strategies and components to control the incoming air flow, to minimise overheating, to recover heat, to attenuate the effects of urban pollution and noise and to integrate ventilation strategies. The paper also outlines the preliminary structure of a guidebook which will describe and summarise the findings. The guidebook aims to increase confidence of how to achieve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and Comfort in office buildings using low energy ventilation strategies for the designers and his client.