Breathing Space

It is important to consider fresh air requirements within the school environment. With tighter buildings there can be less emphasis on natural leakage through the building fabric, or even built-in trickle ventilation to maintain required fresh air levels. And, again, it is important to be able to respond to changes in occupancy and CO2 levels to minimise energy consumption. Here, fan convectors fitted with a fresh air inlet can ensure tempered fresh air is introduced to the space at the appropriate volumes, irrespective of weather conditions. Effectively, the fan convector is used as a small air handling unit, eliminating the need for the separate air handling and ventilation systems that are required with underfloor heating or panel radiators. In the case of perimeter heating, specially developed vents with motorised dampers and attenuators can be fitted into the wall of the building, allowing fresh air to be drawn across the high level heating elements using the 'stack effect' or extract fans. In both case, the fresh air volumes can be adjusted anywhere between recirculation and 100% fresh air and, where required, linked to carbon dioxide sensors to provide demand-controlled ventilation. Dunham-Bush along with others has been supplying fan convector heaters for use in classrooms for more than 50 years, and while many other approaches have been tried the latest generation of fan convectors is acknowledged as still being an excellent way of heating classrooms. There can be no doubt that the increased emphasis on reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions is having a profound impact on the choice of heating plant for schools and other buildings. In the light of this trend, therefore, it's important to follow this through and ensure the heat emitters served by the heating plant will give consistent, reliable comfort and energy savings.