Login
In the framework of the Flemish “Kantoor 2000” research project, the BBRI invited a Swedish inspector to apply the Boverket-OVK procedure for checking the ventilation installations in three Belgian buildings. This experience was most illustrative for the actual status of ventilation systems in Belgium. The procedure being very simple to apply was still very effective and able to detect most problems with ventilation installations encountered in these buildings. To control the quality of ventilation systems, three aspects of the building process are important:
- Effective and correct design: even in a most prestigious building, main errors in the design were encountered. With correct procedures for commissioning, this kind of errors should be eliminated before the building is occupied.
- Good inspections and maintenance: most errors encountered were related with bad controls (wrong settings, wrong airflow rates…) and bad maintenance (dirty installations with poor performances…). The lack of good maintenance and operating controls is responsible for a whole range of secondary problems (damage to the installation, bad indoor air quality, high energy-consumption…).
- Continuous commissioning: checking the installations on a regular base seems to be a very effective way to improve the encountered poor performances of ventilation installations. The Swedish example supports this opinion very strongly: since the procedure is established, the quality of ventilation has improved in a very impressive way.